A Nonthaburi chief investigator has been transferred to an inactive post for failing to prevent a gathering on Thursday of health staff at the Public Health Ministry.
On Thursday morning, about 500 staff gathered at the ministry to offer moral support to public health permanent secretary Narong Sahametapat following an order by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha moving him to be a special adviser at the PM’s Office.
Amnuay: Phuthiphong ‘failed in his duties’
Provincial Police Region 1 commander Pol Lt Gen Amnuay Nimmano said on Friday he had signed an order transferring Pol Col Phuthiphong Wathjirat, a chief investigator at the Nonthaburi provincial police unit, to the Provincial Police Region 1 headquarters on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Chatuchak district.
Pol Lt Gen Amnuay explained in the transfer order that the Nonthaburi provincial police unit had failed to gather information or prepare to prevent and handle any disturbances that might have resulted from the gathering, despite the fact that the media had earlier reported the rally was being organised.
Pol Lt Gen Amnuay said Pol Lt Col Phuthiphong had also failed to inspect and oversee security at the ministry prior to the gathering.
He said he has appointed Pol Lt Col Phichianyos Arunphankul, deputy chief investigator from the Saraburi provincial police unit, as the acting Nonthaburi chief investigator.
Pol Lt Gen Amnuay said there was no need to set up a committee to investigate Pol Col Phuthiphong because he had admitted his failure to prevent the security lapse at the Public Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, doctors and members of public health communities in the provinces yesterday continued to demonstrate their support for Dr Narong.
Personnel at Phichit Hospital yesterday arrived at work wearing black in a gesture of protest against the transfer order targeting Dr Narong, while Na Mom Hospital in Songkhla erected a banner with a message declaring its opposition to the transfer order.
Paphon Deechaiseth, director of Na Mom Hospital, said he believed many public health officials nationwide supported Dr Narong’s efforts to push for the reform of the public health system.
Reforms would encompass efforts to improve management of the budget for the universal coverage (UC) healthcare system, help cash-strapped hospitals, and promote good governance, Dr Paphon said. He added that members of public health communities are fighting for a better public health system rather than to oppose anyone.
Dr Narong’s transfer came after lengthy conflicts between the Public Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Office (PSO), headed by Dr Narong, and the National Health Security Office (NHSO), over management of the UC healthcare scheme, supervised by the NHSO.
Gen Prayut issued a prime ministerial order on March 5 to set up a committee to investigate allegations that Dr Narong’s actions have caused conflict to arise among health agencies and that they did not conform with the government's healthcare policies.
