Deputy Interior Minister Defends Transfer of Prachin Buri District Chief
Deputy Interior Minister Pholphir Suwannachawi defended the transfer of Ban Sang district chief in Prachin Buri, saying it followed consistent reports from provincial and local officials about inadequate flood‑response performance. He said the move was his own proposal, not a directive from the Prime Minister, and noted that the district chief’s strong social‑media presence contrasted with weak fieldwork during the floods. Pholphir added that if investigations find no wrongdoing, the official could be reinstated and denied any political motive.
At 08:10 on October 8, 2026, at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), Deputy Interior Minister Pholphir Suwannachawi spoke about the order transferring Ban Sang district chief Setthawut Wongleewut in Prachin Buri province, following complaints about flood‑response efforts. He said he heard from Prachin Buri’s acting governor Chanathip Kokmunee, the provincial governor’s office, the Provincial Administrative Organization, and local leaders, all of whom gave the same assessment of the district chief. He added that he himself reported these findings to the Prime Minister, explaining that the information came verbally from the province. When the permanent secretary of the Interior Department issued the transfer order, he only then saw that former Prachin Buri governor Wirapan Dee‑on had already written a letter dated September 30 requesting the move, showing the action was consistent with the policy of the governor and acting governor at that time.
He commented that while the district chief is skilled at using social media to present a good image, his actual fieldwork, communication, and policy implementation during the flood response did not match that online portrayal, a view shared by the governor and acting governor who wanted the official removed and replaced by an acting district officer to look after residents.
Pholphir urged locals not to worry, noting that during his field visit the acting governor had reported what was lacking and coordinated immediate assistance. He said Ban Sang was experiencing severe flooding, possibly receiving water from elsewhere, and drainage had not been as swift as anticipated, so efforts were needed to reassure the public.
He said that because the senior officials in the area shared the same opinion, even while acting in their roles, the provincial authorities and local leaders concurred, leading the Interior Ministry’s permanent secretary to ask the district chief to step aside temporarily. He stressed that he himself reported the matter to the Prime Minister, but the transfer order had already been issued when he briefed the Prime Minister, so the Prime Minister did not direct the transfer. After the permanent secretary signed the order, they discovered a letter from the former governor indicating that the secretary had already been aware of the situation; he believed the secretary was waiting to see if any changes would occur after the governor’s retirement, but none appeared, leading to the signing of the order to remove the district chief pending review.
He added that officials might only spend a day or two, or even five hours, in the field and therefore might not observe the full extent of relief efforts compared to those who are permanently stationed there, so they must rely on the reports of local supervisors, who have no reason to lie while people are still suffering from the floods. If the officials were truly overburdened, they would not have produced such reports.
