Air force commander Prajin Juntong is poised to relinquish his chairmanship of Thai Airways International (THAI) tomorrow in a move that is expected to signal to other Pheu Thai-appointed state enterprise board members to follow suit.
The short term of ACM Prajin Juntong as chairman of the board at Thai Airways International Pcl has not always been smooth. In late March, three weeks after his appointment, he met with THAI union negotiators who threatened a strike unless the airline increased wages and welfare. (File photo)
A source at the Transport Ministry said Tuesday that ACM Prajin, the deputy chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) overseeing economic affairs, will tender his resignation Thursday ahead of a board meeting scheduled for Friday.
"ACM Prajin wanted to send a signal to board members in other state enterprises appointed by the Pheu Thai-led government to resign," the source said, noting that his move should end criticism that he was holding on to the THAI chairmanship while asking others to quit.
His action will also pave the way for the reshuffle of 56 state enterprise boards under a policy devised by NCPO.
ACM Prajin took over as THAI board chairman in March after Ampon Kittiampon was forced to step down to become a board member following fierce opposition by THAI staff.
However, ACM Prajin is still a board member of PTT Plc.
The planned reshuffle is being controlled by the Transport Ministry and will involve many key state enterprises. These include Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), the State Railway of Thailand, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) and Transport Co.
Other enterprises expected to make changes are the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand and the Expressway Authority of Thailand. All of them have board members handpicked by the Pheu Thai Party.
Sqn Ldr Sita Divari of the Pheu Thai Party resigned from the post of chairman of the AoT on June 6, he was followed by three other board members.
A source at the AoT said the remaining 11 members yesterday chose to promote vice-chairman Araya Ngampramuan to be the company's new chairman.
ACM Araya is the chief adviser of the Royal Thai Air Force.
Two more AoT board members — former Pheu Thai member Thirachai Wutthitham and Thanin Ungsuwarungsee — are expected to follow Sqn Ldr Sita's example this week, the source added.
Kamronwit Thoopkrachang, former Metropolitan Police Bureau chief who chairs the PAT board, said he is ready to resign but did not want to disrupt the work of the port agency.
"I and other board members will step down if asked by the NCPO," Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit said.
Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit, closely associated with ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was moved to an inactive post at the Royal Thai Police Office after Gen Prayuth staged the coup.
On Monday, ACM Prajin said there has been no discussion yet about sacking the current chairperson of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s (Egat) board and so far, Anchalee Chavanich, the board chairperson, has not submitted her resignation letter.
Ms Anchalee, also president of the Thai Industrial Estate and Strategic Partner Association and a former governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, was named Egat’s chairperson after Pongsak Raktapongpaisarn became energy minister under the Yingluck Shinawatra administration.
Since rumours began spreading that she is under pressure to quit, Ms Anchalee has said the decision comes down to the authority of the NCPO and declined to comment further.
Trakul Winitnaiyapak, deputy Attorney General, resigned recently from his role as a board member of Egat.
Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara submitted his resignation from the posts of chairman and independent director of PTT Plc. His resignation was effective on Sunday. Two more PTT board members resigned earlier.
Resignations effective from Monday included Waroonthep Watcharaporn as an independent director and a member of the audit, while Athapol Yaisawang resigned as an independent director and chairman of the nominating committee and a member of the enterprise risk management committee from yesterday onwards.
IRPC Plc, also part of PTT group, also informed the SET yesterday that Chainoi Puenkosoom has resigned as its chairman and director citing prior business engagements.