Agriculture Minister Defends Senior Staff Transfers
Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit defended staff transfers at his ministry, denying allegations they were financially motivated or politically driven, saying all decisions followed transparent procedures and involved the Permanen
At a Government House press conference on July 21, 2025, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit responded to Phayao MP and Kla Tham Party leader Thammanat Promboon's Facebook criticism that the agriculture ministry's staff transfers were financially motivated rather than performance-based. Suriya said all perspectives—including Thammanat's—would inform his decision-making.
Suriya affirmed that the transfers were conducted transparently and that the Permanent Secretary, not the minister, has authority to propose them. Seven senior officials will retire on September 30, necessitating replacements. The Permanent Secretary reviewed all criteria including integrity, work commitment, dedication, and seniority, consulting at the management level rather than deciding alone. Once the Permanent Secretary presented a thorough proposal, Suriya approved it and forwarded it to the Prime Minister's Secretary-General for Cabinet consideration.
When asked if the transfers were free of financial quid pro quo, Suriya confirmed there was no extortion or position-trading and said anyone with evidence of wrongdoing could file a complaint. Responding to allegations of purging political rivals, Suriya noted the agriculture ministry has 31 senior administrators; a true purge would involve all of them, not just a few. He highlighted his 11 years without incident—five under Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, four under General Prayut Chan-o-cha, one under Srettha Thavisin, and one under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra—as evidence of proper conduct. Suriya characterized Thammanat's scrutiny as standard opposition oversight and asked media to await the Cabinet meeting results before concluding on the scope of transfers.
