Kittiratt qualified to be Bank of Thailand board chair, says govt

According to Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister, the government insists that former finance minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong is qualified for the position of chairman of the board of the Bank of Thailand ( BoT ).

” Mr. Kittiratt is a professional who is knowledgeable in both funding and government. If he has the place, he will bring in a wider monetary standpoint. It is up to the collection commission of the BoT to decide”, he said.

Following the delay of the collection committee’s scheduled conference from Monday to the following Monday, Mr. Phumtham made a comment on the matter on Monday. The commission had previously postponed the meeting’s scheduled date for October 8 prior to this delay.

Pongpanu Svetarundra, a former permanent secretary for commerce and sports, is the only person to confirm the rumors that the government is considering switching the candidate from Mr. Kittiratt, who is thought to have close ties to the decision Pheu Thai Party.

” Physically, I am never aware whether the election will be changed or not. It is something all factors concerned have to first discuss”, he said.

As a matter of fact, Mr Pichai said, both the ministry and the BoT have the authority to nominate a candidate they find suitable, while the board chairman does n’t really have that much decision-making authority as most of such authority usually lies with the board’s subcommittees.

After all, he said, he still hoped all sides could reach frequent surface on the topic, which would be the best solution to this problem.

Any additional delays in the selection of the new BoT table chairman, in Mr. Pichai’s opinion, had undoubtedly affect the BoT’s work because the cheerful board chairman continues to serve as a caregiver board chairman while awaiting the selection of his replacement.

Three organizations, however, gathered outside the office of the BoT in a symbolic action against the rumoured election of Mr Kittiratt.

The group, led by the Kongthap Tham ( Dharma Army ), wrote an open letter to the BoT in which they criticized the speculative nomination of Mr. Kittiratt and demanded that the selection committee’s head step down.