Profile of Chantanan Wannakejorn, a longtime official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, who has crossed over to become Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy. He faces the major task of restructuring energy prices and leading Thailand's transition to clean energy.
On 18 Aug 2026, immediately following the Cabinet's approval, Mr. Chantanan Wannakejorn, Special Expert at the Office of the Prime Minister (Senior Executive Level 11) and former Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), was appointed as the new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy. He will replace Mr. Prasert Changsanam, who will retire at the end of September 2026. Chantanan's appointment superseded several frontrunners from within the Ministry of Energy, including Mr. Wattanapong Kurovat, Director of the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO), Mr. Warakorn Prommobl, Director-General of the Department of Mineral Fuels, and Mr. Natthaphon Rangsitpol, whose candidacy faced prior issues.
A longtime official of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Mr. Chantanan Wannakejorn, currently 55 years old (born 23 May 1971), is considered a career official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. He was part of the new generation of civil servants established by Mr. Newin Chidchob when he served as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, alongside Mr. Rapeepat Chantasriwong, Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, who is set to become the new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture on 1 October 2026.
It has also been reported that during the formation of the "Anutin 1" government, Chantanan was a key figure on the government policy drafting committee. He was once approached to serve as Minister of Commerce and currently acts as a crucial "right-hand" aide, continuously facilitating government administration.
Upon crossing over to lead the Ministry of Energy, Mr. Chantanan immediately faces major national challenges such as:
1. A comprehensive overhaul of the energy pricing structure to reduce the burden on citizens and adjust oil and electricity prices to fairly reflect costs.
2. Drafting a new national Power Development Plan (PDP) while accelerating the transition plan toward clean energy (Green Energy Transition).
3. Hosting the global energy event "Gastech 2026," scheduled for 14-17 September 2026.
◦ Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Bangkok University.
◦ Master of Business from the University of New Hampshire, U.S.A.
◦ Certificate in English for Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, U.S.A.
◦ Special Expert at the Office of the Prime Minister.
◦ Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE).
◦ Inspector General at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
◦ Minister-Counselor (Agricultural Affairs) at the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
◦ Board member of PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR) (April 2026 - present).
◦ Chairman of the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (November 2025 - present).
◦ Former board member of the Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM Bank).
◦ Board member of the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, 2022.
◦ Chair of the Food Security Policy Partnership (APEC) in 2022.