The mass reshuffle involving 45 senior officials under the Interior Ministry, including provincial governors and department heads, is causing a stir.
While such transfers as a new government takes office may not be unusual, such a sweeping change at this ministry has taken place only once in political history, following the 2014 coup by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.
At that time, the military leaders needed officials they could trust to handle the ministry, which is responsible for provincial and local administration.
Regarding the latest rejig, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said it was a “routine appointment round”.
He added that he wished to return justice to some officials, particularly those who had been “unjustly treated” in three consecutive reshuffles during the previous Pheu Thai Party-led government.
The media and political pundits smell vindictiveness.
Mr Anutin was booted out of the interior portfolio last June when Pheu Thai felt the need to take the position back ahead of political uncertainty. The move was the last straw for Bhumjaithai (BJT), prompting it to switch to the opposition bloc.
Veteran politician Phumtham Wechayachai took over the interior portfolio. Like other politicians who take the helm at this ministry, he made a major shakeup, moving many director-generals and provincial governors that Mr Anutin had appointed.
In Thai bureaucracy, politicians often move officials as if they are objects or furniture. When Mr Anutin returned to the interior ministry, he moved back many of those officials.
Among them is Pornpoj Pennapas, who is reassigned as head of the Lands Department, the position he held before Pheu Thai took control of the ministry. Mr Phumtham appointed him as deputy permanent secretary amid speculation over a dispute over the Khao Kradong land title case in Buri Ram.
Big question marks surround the reshuffle of several provincial governors: a few have served in their provinces for only a brief time.
One example is the provincial governors of Phuket. The province welcomed a new governor, Saransak Srikruanetra, only two weeks ago. He is now to be replaced by Nirat Phongsitthaworn, who moves from the Provincial Administration Department. Such transfers have prompted analysts to see the reshuffle as the return of those affiliated with the “blue camp” (BJT).
More importantly, there are grounds to believe such a sweeping reshuffle is probably not in the best interests of the people. Some suspect it is a compromise between meritocracy and a reinforcement of patron-client relations between politicians and bureaucrats, while the public interest is overlooked.
But the fact is, a governor’s job requires continuity. Abrupt changes will certainly affect public service or could worsen responses to some tough issues like the battle against hazardous PM2.5 dust in the northern region, or the Kok River’s contamination in Chiang Rai.
The move highlights the need for decentralisation and governor elections in some big cities with large populations and economic scale. With this seemingly irrational shakeup, calls that provincial governors should be elected by residents gain greater strength.
Power should be returned to the people, so they can choose a governor who truly serves them, rather than politicians.