Phuket governor’s performance under fire

BANGKOK: Two of Thailand’s five governors with CEO-style powers turned in worse performances in their first six months on the job than governors in five control provinces where traditional administration is still in place. ‘The Nation’ reported today that The governors of Phuket and Narathiwat scored lower on their six-month evaluations than the traditional, non-CEO governors of Phang Nga and Pattani. Five provinces were selected last October to allow governors to run their administrations in the style of chief executive officers. Downplaying the far-from-impressive performances by CEO-style governors so far, Interior Minister Purachai Prisombun said another appraisal would be held after one year in office. By then, their evaluations should better reflect their performances, he said. Phuket, Narathiwat, Si Sa Ket, Chai Nat and Lampang are experimenting with the CEO-style management, while Pattani, Phang Nga, Surin, Angthong and Phitsanulok are being used to compare the scheme’s efficiency with that of traditional administration. In the assessment, the governors of Phuket and Narathiwat received lower approval ratings for their leadership, while the CEOs of Si Sa Ket, Chai Nat and Lampang were equal to their counterparts in the traditionally-governed provinces.