Cave drama shines light on governance

Cave drama shines light on governance

Chiang Rai governor led the rescue operation tirelessly, and seemed always in control. (Reuters photo)
Chiang Rai governor led the rescue operation tirelessly, and seemed always in control. (Reuters photo)

At this moment, only those who have shut themselves away from all news channels for the last week have never heard of Narongsak Osotthanakorn, the governor of Chiang Rai.

His handling of an 11-day rescue operation in search of a team of young footballers and their coach who went missing inside a 10km-long cave complex in Mae Sai district on June 23 -- and were located on Monday evening -- has kept him firmly in the spotlight.

In fact, the initial tumult, which was unavoidable given that personnel from different agencies scrambled at the site to be part of the high-profile mission, triggered questions about whether Mr Narongsak was the right man for the job.

Ploenpote Atthakor is editorial pages editor, Bangkok Post.

There was even criticism about the sluggish pace of the rescue operation. But Mr Narongsak, who tirelessly led the operation, has proven himself to be a more than fit site commander -- a rare species when disaster strikes.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha spoke highly of him yesterday and said his rescue mission would be adopted as a model for future operations. The governor has been recording the process so people can learn from the team's efforts.

Mr Narongsak won the hearts of many when he declared early in the mission that anyone who was not ready for such a demanding task "should go home to his or her families", adding he wouldn't report their absence to their supervisors.

The governor's determination and undaunted efforts have amazed those who have been closely following the rescue operation. Some media outlets even published his profile, which was shared widely on social media.

Then just as hopes were possibly starting to fade, despair turned to jubilation on Monday night when the missing team was located, alive and well – and the nation rejoiced.

Amid what looks to be a happy ending, however, comes another surprise: The public has learnt Mr Narongsak is set to be transferred from Chiang Rai. His new designated province is Phayao, a much smaller province. Moreover, the Interior Ministry's tradition of moving someone to a smaller position is generally considered a demotion, if not a form of punishment.

Some reports claimed that a number of influential figures -- known in Thai as phu yai -- were unhappy with Mr Narongsak's straightforwardness. Others suggested his impending transfer was related to his having challenged quite a few projects in the province that he did not consider to be worthwhile. One of these was the planned construction of a hall named after a former monarch -- Mangrai, the first king of Lanna -- which would have required him to bypass some laws, something he apparently was not willing to do.

But the public has warmed to his direct approach. When quizzed on the reason for his transfer, Mr Narongsak said tellingly: "There are more than 20 projects that I could not sign off on because they are just wrong, against the rules and regulations. I can go anywhere [I am ordered] so long as can work without those kind of headaches."

He also said Chiang Rai has the potential for much development, hinting that something may be holding this back.

Such hints have prompted some of the phu yai to make an about-face.

Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda conceded there were some "issues" with the governor in the past that had made the ministry decide to move him out of Chiang Rai. In short, they said he was considered difficult to work with. But Gen Anupong later described him as being nam dee -- or competent and honest.

Meanwhile, Gen Prayut has been quick to address the issue, saying the transfer is a routine move, that "competent people can work anywhere" and less-developed provinces need a good governor like Mr Narongsak.

Yet the dubious projects the governor has hinted at cannot be ignored. The premier must ensure they are properly scrutinised, and scrapped if Mr Narongsak is proved right.

The Interior Ministry must also do more to ensure all transfers are made based on merit and are conducted transparently.

On top of that, it seems the ministry needs a new bureaucratic magnifying glass when appraising its officials, especially how it defines good vs bad ones, and losers vs winners.

Talking about the winners, as the cave saga looks destined for a happy ending, I think it is the people of Phaoyao who are among the winners here. They will benefit from this bureaucratic windfall, as they are about to get a governor to be truly proud of.

Ploenpote Atthakor

Former editorial page Editor

Ploenpote Atthakor is former editorial pages editor, Bangkok Post.

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