Two deputy governors of Phuket, nicknamed “Deputy Seafood,” have left to assume new positions following urgent transfer orders, bringing an end to disputes related to gray capital.
On 16 June 2026, Mr. Adul Chuthong and Mr. Theerapong Chuaychu, deputy governors of Phuket, departed Phuket to take up new appointments as ordered by the Ministry of Interior. Mr. Adul was transferred to serve as deputy governor of Songkhla Province, while Mr. Theerapong was assigned as deputy governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The order took immediate effect on 16 June 2026.
Mr. Adul left his office heading to Songkhla Province, accompanied by department heads, local leaders, village chiefs, and some members of the public who came to bid farewell and present flowers in a simple ceremony. Meanwhile, Mr. Theerapong departed from the deputy governor’s residence to take up his post in Nakhon Si Thammarat, with officials also seeing him off. Both deputy governors maintained neutral expressions and declined to give interviews.
The sudden transfer of these two senior Phuket officials followed a heated Ministry of Interior meeting amid intense online criticism over a message claiming “Deputy Seafood will transfer the governor,” which upset the Prime Minister. This was linked to deep-seated tensions regarding handling of influential figures and gray capital groups in the area. Earlier, Mr. Nirat Pongsitthavorn, Phuket’s governor, had also been reassigned by Cabinet resolution to serve as Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior.
Local sources revealed that this comprehensive removal of the governor and deputy governors is a government and Ministry of Interior effort to urgently relieve pressure and break the cycle of conflict among individuals and vested interests in Phuket. By separating the key players from this world-class tourist province, the administration aims to ensure that governance mechanisms and anti-mafia policies can proceed without obstruction.