Gov Pongpayome to be Phuket’s first CEO

PHUKET: The office of Phuket Governor Pongpayome Vasaputi was today flooded with bouquets from well-wishers congratulating the Governor on being appointed Phuket’s first Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Gov Pongpayome told the Gazette, “I’m glad the government trusts me and I appreciate having the chance to stay in Phuket, because there are still a lot of problems that I intend to fix.” The new position comes into being on October 1 as part of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s experimental program to give provincial governments greater autonomy. Phuket is one of five provinces that will try the CEO system. The governors of three of the other four provinces – Srisaket, Lampang and Narathiwat – will also keep their positions as their respective province’s No 1 civil servant. The only change takes place in the Central Thailand province of Chai Nat, where, it has been announced, the CEO will be Vichai Srikwan, currently a Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior. In addition to naming the CEOs, the government has announced that Phuket Vice-Governors Wittaya Pintapat and Amnuay Sanguannam will be promoted on October 2. Wittaya will become Governor of Chanthaburi while Amnuay will become Governor of Phatthalung. The names of their replacements are expected to be announced next week. No announcement has yet been made about the future of Phuket’s third Vice-Governor, Wongsak Swasdipanich, who is also scheduled to receive a new posting.