Chakkrit out as top man at Treasury
The cabinet yesterday approved moving Chakkrit Parapuntakul, director-general of the Treasury Department, to a new post as deputy permanent secretary for finance.
The current deputy permanent secretary for finance, Patchara Anuntasilpa, will replace Mr Chakkrit as director-general of the Treasury Department.
Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong said the reshuffle is intended to better facilitate management of state officials and has no connection to the Pracha Rat (People’s State) housing scheme.
He said the move will have no impact on a related low-cost housing project.
Mr Chakkrit said he was already aware of the imminent reshuffle and had been waiting for the official order.
But he said the local opposition to the Treasury Department’ s planned construction of a low-cost housing project in Phahon Yothin Soi 11 was the main cause behind the transfer.
“I’m not stressed or frustrated,” Mr Chakkrit said. “I will take a rest because I’m pretty worn out from the project. I insist that I’ve never done anything illegitimate and done everything for the sake of the country. The government is transferring me after a dispute over a project. If I’ve done anything wrong, then I’ll face Section 44.”
A source at the Finance Ministry who asked not to be named said that the dispute between locals and the Treasury Department over the low-cost housing project in Phahon Yothin Soi 11 is escalating.
Those living in the area say the project is inappropriate for the location, and they fear it could cause traffic jams because the street is not wide enough for an eight-storey condominium.
The Office of the Auditor General of Thailand (OAGT) recently issued a letter to the Treasury Department requesting that the contentious project be reviewed, the source said.
The OAGT also raised doubts about the qualifications of the project developer, which the office said had no track record to suggest that it could finish such a project on time.