Chulaphan acknowledged this as a political game by the opposition and accepted the issue regarding the transfer of Director-General Rachen. He said there is nothing suspicious and that it is normal for a minister to review the budget before submitting a request. He is unshaken by the strong stance of the Ministry of Agriculture and said civil servants work for every government, becoming politically diverse.
On 2 May 2026 at 10:45 a.m., Mr. Chulaphan Amornwiwat, Minister of Labor and leader of the Pheu Thai Party, commented on preparations to file an ethics complaint against Mr. Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, over the transfer of Mr. Rachen Silparaya from Director-General of the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department to Inspector General of the Ministry. He said this matter is lawful and it is up to the relevant agencies to investigate further. Based on party discussions, they trust Mr. Suriya’s integrity. The situation is clear, including prior communications when they were in opposition. Therefore, it is unrelated. If Mr. Suriya, as minister, wanted to delegate someone to meet or talk, one phone call would suffice, with no need to misuse authority.
Regarding budget review, Chulaphan gave an example that as Minister of Labor, he invites all agencies to discuss the 2027 budget requests. As minister, he must sign off on these before submission. It is impossible not to be aware. In the past 1-2 weeks, the Ministry of Labor held multiple meetings to prioritize and prepare requests for the Budget Bureau's consideration. Thus, reviewing budgets from government agencies is common practice across ministries and is not unusual. It is normal for ministers to know and sign off. There is nothing suspicious. Transfers and reshuffles of civil servants are normal to ensure each department functions according to objectives and policies. Since the government changed, policies differ, and it is up to the minister to decide.
When asked if this would be seen as a political game by the opposition, Chulaphan agreed it is exactly that. He acknowledged that various actors have jumped in to take advantage politically but urged focus on stability and work. Currently, discussions are ongoing within the Pheu Thai Party, and the cabinet is working intensively without breaks to deliver results for the people.
Regarding concerns within Pheu Thai about strong influence from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Chulaphan said he is not worried. He believes the party has persisted through policies. Today, all ministries implement policies for the people. Civil servants have served many governments. Over time, ministers, directors-general, and permanent secretaries have changed, working for all sides—forming a political rainbow. Therefore, the party does not focus on that but on whether policies declared to parliament can be implemented. He trusts all civil servants are professional and will implement government policies effectively.
When asked if Pheu Thai or Mr. Suriya need to clarify matters with the Prime Minister, given current government concerns over ethics, Chulaphan said ethics have been a sensitive issue in many past governments, especially under former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Minister Anutin has consistently raised this point. Mr. Suriya regularly talks with Anutin and has explained and clarified what happened. Chulaphan believes the Prime Minister is aware and is acting according to the proposals from the Minister of Agriculture submitted to the cabinet.