The Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning clarified the issue of an official page posting that responded to comments by the former Interior Permanent Secretary, affirming it was not a conflict but an effort to boost civil servants’ morale and requesting an end to prolonged disputes to focus on serving the public.
At 08:45 on 15 Oct 2026 GMT+7 at the Government House, Mr. Theerapat Kachamat, Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, spoke about the department’s Facebook page posting disagreeing with the former Interior Permanent Secretary’s remarks about the Ministry of Interior. He stated that although it was a personal matter of the former official, there are many civil servants who need encouragement in their duties within the Ministry of Interior. He emphasized that this is not a conflict but a need to support civil servants, given the ministry’s extensive work reaching the public on many issues. Thus, encouraging civil servants dealing with issues such as floods and various management tasks is essential for mutual support among all departments.
When asked whether today’s statement was ordered by the Interior Permanent Secretary or reflected civil servants’ frustrations, Mr. Theerapat said the Permanent Secretary did not order it but expressed a wish for smooth transition and diverse forms of duty performance across different eras. He noted that advice from former officials is normal, but he hopes the morale of Ministry of Interior civil servants will not decline. In case of problems, morale might drop, so he urged everyone to help build morale so services to the public can proceed fully without obstacles.
Asked about heavy criticism over the use of the official pages of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning and the Ministry of Interior for this issue, Mr. Theerapat reiterated that although they disagreed, they aimed to bring peace. He expressed encouragement for civil servants working diligently and stressed that the Ministry of Interior strives to serve the public wholeheartedly. Therefore, each ministry page tries to present work in all aspects to maximize public benefit.
Regarding whether the former Interior Permanent Secretary’s previous rebuttals and ongoing responses might prolong the dispute, Mr. Theerapat said this likely will not happen and that they only want work to proceed smoothly without obstacles. He emphasized the importance of morale among civil servants, noting that many colleagues within the ministry and former officials are concerned. He stressed their commitment to diligently serve the public to the best of their ability within legal frameworks.
When asked to confirm if the Ministry of Interior’s work was not as criticized by the former Permanent Secretary, Mr. Theerapat acknowledged that problems occur in all organizations during work. Everyone must help solve or clear up issues. He said no one should blame others, but rather work together constructively and meaningfully for society. This is not about prolonging disputes, but about fostering unity and harmony among former and current civil servants to maximize benefits for the public.
Asked again if there was internal conflict within the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Theerapat denied any conflict. He explained that all departments and ministries work interlinked, as the nature of their work is connected—be it disaster management, infrastructure care, governance, land management, or community development. These tasks require cooperation across departments in all dimensions, so collaboration is inevitable.