PM Defends District Chief Transfer During Flood Crisis
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul defended the transfer of Ban Sang district chief Settiwat Wongleowut, saying it was required under flood emergency rules after the official had served five years in the same post. He denied any political motive, attributing the decision to the Interior Ministry permanent secretary and the Department of Provincial Administration Director‑General. Anutin urged the controversy to end so authorities can concentrate on ongoing flood relief in affected provinces.
At 5:00 p.m. on October 8, 2025, at the Government House, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who also serves as Minister of Interior, addressed social media criticism over the transfer of Ban Sang district chief Settiwat Wongleowut, which took effect on October 7. Gesturing toward Interior Ministry permanent secretary Arsorn Sampantharat standing behind him, Anutin said, "Ask the person standing behind me – I did not order the transfer; it was carried out by Narucha Hosasilawich, Director‑General of the Department of Provincial Administration, and the permanent secretary."
Anutin explained that a meeting that morning had clarified the legal framework for flood‑affected provinces: when a province declares a flood emergency, the provincial governor becomes the on‑scene incident commander under emergency statutes, similar to martial law provisions where the military commander holds supreme authority. Consequently, the governor can issue orders to relocate or report on the work of any personnel within his jurisdiction.
He added that Prachin Buri Province had formally requested the Department of Provincial Administration to move the district chief, and the request was processed according to the situation. There was no time to convene a review committee because the crisis demanded immediate coordination. Anutin said he had been briefed by the permanent secretary that the official had been in the post for five years and should have been transferred the previous year; staying longer was unnecessary, and the move to another district caused no harm.
Regarding social media backlash, Anutin stated that further explanation was unnecessary because the authority to transfer lay with the Department of Provincial Administration Director‑General and the permanent secretary, who signed the order, and the matter did not require cabinet approval. He noted that the permanent secretary oversees civil service personnel.
When reporters mentioned local claims that the district chief worked actively in the field, Anutin replied that he trusted the provincial governor’s formal request and the established rotation schedule, citing reports from senior ministry officials. He stressed that the issue should be closed so attention can focus on flood relief efforts in provinces such as Chachoengsao and Nakhon Nayok, where water levels remain high. Anutin concluded that, under emergency command, the provincial governor acts like a field commander, and if the commander deems a unit unsuitable, it must be obeyed.
