Atthasit clarified the swirling news about his refusal to interview the media regarding the urgent transfer of five deputy governors in the South, insisting he did not avoid them but was rushing to attend a Cabinet meeting on time with the Prime Minister. He explained in detail the appointment of Chotinarin Kerdsom as the new Phuket governor replacing "Governor Sembe," stating the move was for official benefits. He compared it to having sand in one's shoe, making walking uncomfortable, so it must be removed.
At the Cabinet meeting on 16 Jun 2026 GMT+7, Atthasit Sampanrat, Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, addressed reports that he refused media interviews about the transfer orders of five deputy governors in the southern provinces aimed at resolving issues with local power brokers. He affirmed he did not refuse interviews and that the reports were likely inaccurate. As a Cabinet participant and Permanent Secretary, he had to promptly attend the meeting as the Prime Minister was already present. He emphasized the transfers were to ensure smooth administration and government benefit.
Later, Atthasit spoke about the Cabinet's approval to appoint Nirath Pongsitthaworn, former Phuket governor, as deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, and to appoint Chotinarin Kerdsom, deputy permanent secretary, as Phuket governor. He explained that due to reports of gray capital and power brokers demanding benefits in Phuket, these transfers aimed to ease the situation. The personnel changes were solely for orderly government benefit. Those transferred remained in nearby posts, and the newcomers were expected to help resolve problems, aligned with government policy to suppress power brokers and address unresolved local issues.
When asked whether the transfer of the Phuket governor and the administrative department chief ordering the transfer of the Phuket provincial secretary were related, Atthasit denied any connection. He said that during the previous day's Ministry of Interior meeting, the goal was to resolve all problems. He gave the analogy of having sand in a shoe making walking difficult, so sometimes you must remove it to wear the shoe again comfortably. The new appointees, unfamiliar with the problems, could apply their experience to solve issues, while the incumbents, knowing the problems, had failed to resolve them.
Regarding whether unresolved issues stemmed from personal conflicts or local vested interests, Atthasit stated there was no personal benefit involved in the transfers. The changes were to enable continued official duties in Phuket and to quickly resolve outstanding problems. He acknowledged that Nirath was experienced and aware of the issues but had not fully solved them. Also, the deputy governors in Phuket had not worked well as a team, so a full team replacement was necessary to ensure problem resolution. Investigations initiated by the former Phuket governor continue, with reports submitted to the ministry, though currently no new developments exist.
Asked if the transfers were motivated by concern that the Prime Minister might order an investigation against Atthasit himself, he said he was not afraid and emphasized focusing on official duties. The Prime Minister had inquired about the entire situation, and Atthasit advised that the best approach was to resolve the problems. He noted that prior to this, daily reports highlighted conflicts among deputies, so the issues had to be resolved. He expressed confidence that the transfers were genuinely for this purpose.
Regarding the timeline for problem resolution, Atthasit said the new Phuket governor would assess the situation and that he was confident in the governor's experience, having been selected by the Interior Ministry.
Concerning the deputy governor from the seafood sector who said there would be a written explanation, Atthasit said they had to wait for the individual, as he had stated. Regardless, even if transferred elsewhere, investigations would continue. It depended on what reports were submitted and how the process would proceed further.