Opening the profile of Rachen Silparaya, former Director-General of the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department, who announced his resignation before his official retirement after being reassigned to an inspector position due to political pressure.
On 29 April 2026, following the Cabinet's resolution on 28 April 2026, which approved the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' proposal, two senior civil servants under the ministry were appointed to executive-level positions in a rotation. Mr. Witthaya Kaewmee, an inspector at the Ministry's Office of the Permanent Secretary, was appointed Director-General of the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department, while Mr. Rachen Silparaya, former Director-General, was reassigned as an inspector at the Ministry's Office of the Permanent Secretary.
Recently, Mr. Rachen posted on Facebook stating: “Thank you to everyone who called to offer encouragement. If I missed your call, please don’t be upset. I accept the orders of my superiors as a professional civil servant. Wherever I am, I accept the role and work to benefit the Thai people. In five months, I will have to leave—whether early or on 30 September, it’s the civil service way. I accept this willingly. I did not have the chance to care for my family and children. I told my children I work for the nation. I feel sorry for my children; my youngest just started school. My niece asked when I would be living with her.”
“Today, I have the answer. I will step away from a civil service life dedicated to the nation to live happily with my family. I must reflect on myself and end my civil service career before age 60, with the dignity of a servant under His Majesty the King. I am not a political civil servant and have been maligned throughout. Thank you to everyone who called to encourage me.”
“My heart is weary, but I accept the order. The Royal Rainmaking Department remains a royal agency, ready to assist all Thai people in need.”
Mr. Rachen Silparaya, former Director-General of the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department, is an engineer civil servant who played a key role in managing water resources and addressing drought issues. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Construction Technology from Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University and a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Rajamangala University of Technology Isan.
Mr. Rachen's career began in irrigation, before moving to executive roles within the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. He held important posts including Director of Construction Projects at the 5th Irrigation Office, Director of the Ministerial Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Deputy Director-General of the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department, and was approved by the Cabinet on 13 January 2025 as Director-General to fill the vacant position.
Most recently, Mr. Rachen became a news subject again after the Cabinet resolved to transfer him from Director-General of the Royal Rainmaking Department to an inspector role at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. This led him to immediately submit his resignation on 29 April 2026, before the scheduled retirement. He explained the cause as working under political pressure and not responding to political factions. He recounted receiving calls from a CEO of an airline with an animal name and surname starting with J., who requested a meeting claiming to assist with aircraft maintenance, but Mr. Rachen did not meet him due to prior appointments and concerns about potential fraud. Later, the individual tried to meet again, claiming to be a relative and grandchild of a senior figure, but Mr. Rachen was occupied. He stated that he wished to preserve the dignity of a “professional civil servant” and had fulfilled his duties, especially rainmaking missions to alleviate PM2.5 dust and drought problems. Originally, he intended to resign on 7 August when he would turn 60.