Pol Maj Gen Wichai Sangprapai has resigned as adviser to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in the wake of the conflict between Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra and senior figures in the Democrat Party.
He said on Wednesday he decided to resign for fear the conflict would make it more difficult for him to perform his duties, and it was the people who would be affected. His resignation takes effect from Feb 1.
Pol Maj Gen Wichai is a member of the Democrat Party.
"It's normal that a man who is always serious about his work should feel uncomfortable seeing his colleagues be the opposite. Some of them are corrupt. I, as a government official who works for the people, see that this is not right," Pol Maj Gen Wichai said. His resignation had nothing to do with the work he was responsible for.
He also said he might enter politics.
Pol Maj Gen Wichai is the first person to resign from an administrative post in the BMA since the Democrat Party declared it was severing ties with MR Sukhumbhand because he paid no heed to the party, and failed to cooperate when the party sought an explanation of some projects it thought lacked transparency.
Democrat Party members working for City Hall were advised to make their own decisions whether to stay or not.
MR Sukhumbhand won the last two gubernatorial elections under the Democrat banner and is a deputy party leader. He has one year left on his second term.
With the departure of Pol Maj Gen Wichai, there are still two Democrat Party members in the BMA. They are deputy governors Phusadee Tamthai and Pol Gen Aswin Khwanmuang.
It was not known if these two would also resign.
According to Thairath Online, Pol Maj Gen Wichai submitted his resignation letter on Jan 24, explaining that his family business and his being appointed as a member and adviser of several private companies and state enterprises meant he was no longer able to do the job efficiently.
In his letter to the BMA governor, Pol Maj Gen Wichai wanted his resignation to take effect from March 1. However, MR Sukhumbhand decided it would take almost immediate effect.
Pol Maj Gen Wichai had been assigned to restore order to street vendors to make city pavements tidy, in response to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's policy to return happiness to the people.
He has rearranged vending along Khlong Lord near Sanam Luang, and at Pak Khlong Talad, Bo Bae Market and at Victory Monument.