By Thai Newsroom Reporters
A HIGH-RANKING, yet scandalous official of the Ministry of Interior has been surreptitiously destined to get promoted as undersecretary of the ministry now under command of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul later this year, despite an online text which he had allegedly sent to a certain government official to “Do Help the Blue” prior to a previous general election, a partisan source said today (June 1).
Provincial Administration Department Director-General Narucha Kosacivilize is more or less anticipated to be promoted as undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior in the next four months, given his being viewed as a staunch protege of de facto Bhumjaithai boss Newin Chidchob, known behind the scenes as “manager of government” under elected premiership of Anutin who concurrently acts as the largest ruling party’s leader and interior minister, according to the partisan source who only spoke on condition of anonymity.
Narucha has been earlier accused of texting on his Line to one of his subordinate officials in Phuket during a run-up to the Feb.8 election to solicit his support, most certainly in very discreet, covert fashion, for the Bhumjaithai contestants vying in the tourist island’s constituencies, allegedly with a terse message saying “Do Help the Blue”, referring to the colour known to represent the ultra-conservative Newin’s camp.
None of the Bhumjaithai candidates running for Phuket won any of a trio of MP seats which were grabbed by a couple of the People’s contestants and a Klatham contender.
However, the department chief has categorically dismissed the viral allegation which apparently involved himself and former Phuket provincial undersecretary Rungruang Thimabut whom he had allegedly texted for the contentious, undue assistance and whom he had recently transferred from the southern island province.
Anutin has earlier downplayed the scandals surrounding the department chief, saying he himself had never been involved in such electoral shenanigans and that an ad hoc committee would probably be set up to investigate.
Narucha who had been earlier named governor of the lower-northeastern province of Buriram, Newin’s home province and the Bhumjaithai’s largest stronghold and is scheduled to retire next year is expected to be named undersecretary of interior in place of the current one, namely Ansit Sampantharat, in the upcoming October.
Major parties have been quietly struggling against one another to take control of the Ministry of Interior, given its practical influence over provincial and local government officials ranging from provincial governors and chief district officers to kamnan (subdistrict heads) and puyaibaan (village heads), especially during a run-up to a general election.
De facto Pheu Thai boss/parolee Thaksin Shinawatra had earlier managed to oust the Bhumjaithai from a previous Pheu Thai-led coalition government only to take command of the significant portfolio and install his right-hand man Phumtham Wechayachai as interior minister during the time of his daughter/court-deposed prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
A previous Bhumjaithai-led government which had replaced the Pheu Thai-led government had made a wide range of transfers of senior officials of the ministry, including dozens of department chiefs and provincial governors just a few months ahead of the previous election.
CAPTIONS:
Provincial Administration Department Director-General Narucha Kosacivilize. Above photo – PPTVHD36, Front Page – Naewna
Insert – De facto Bhumjaithai boss Newin Chidchob. Photo – Naewna
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