The Ministry of Interior has ordered Rungreung Thimabut, the whistleblower behind the 'Help Namngern' chat, to resume his duties as Phuket provincial secretary following the conclusion of the investigation. Observers are watching closely to see if the extortion allegations will expand further.
On 25 June 2026, reports emerged that The Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior, sent a letter to the Governor of Phuket Province instructing him to reinstate Mr. Rungreung Thimabut, the provincial secretary of Phuket, to his original post after the period of reassignment and the Department's fact-finding investigation were completed. The letter referenced Department of Provincial Administration Order No. 1512/2569 dated 20 May 2026, which had assigned Mr. Rungreung to assist at the Department from 25 May to 24 June 2026.
The Department of Provincial Administration stated that the fact-finding investigation has now been completed, and with the reassignment period ending, Mr. Rungreung is being sent back to perform his duties in Phuket. The province was requested to notify the Department once he reports back.
Additionally, the Department informed that in fiscal year 2026, Mr. Rungreung has 12 days of leave remaining. They emphasized that the province must instruct him to perform his duties in accordance with laws, regulations, and related orders, and to uphold the honor and discipline of civil servants as a good example. The letter was signed by Mr. Winai Tocharoen, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration, acting as Director-General.
However, on 20 May 2026, the Department of Provincial Administration, led by Director-General Mr. Narucha Kosaasivilai, issued an order transferring Mr. Rungreung along with four other administrative officers to assist at the central office. This was to establish a committee to investigate complaints regarding extortion or kickbacks from entertainment venues in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket Province.
Then, on 28 May 2026, Mr. Phattharaphong Suphakorn, also known as Lawyer Aun Buriram, revealed a screenshot of a LINE chat purportedly showing a conversation between senior Ministry of Interior executives and local officials prior to the election. The brief message read: “Help Namngern.” It was later confirmed that Mr. Rungreung was the sender of that message.