DIT chief quits:

Denies dept tried to profit from shortage

The director-general of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT) resigned yesterday while denying accusations that his department had pocketed ill-gotten gains from the shortage of face masks.

Whichai Phochanakij called it quits after he was transferred to an inactive post yesterday in an order signed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha pending an investigation into the export of a large number of face masks just prior to their reclassification as a price-controlled product.

Mr Whichai said he filed his resignation with commerce permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit, who will decide when it will take effect.

Complaints of severe shortages of masks both in hospitals and shops have been widespread despite the Commerce Ministry’s assurances that production has been ramped up to meet demand.

That prompted suspicion that masks are being hoarded for sale online at heavily inflated prices.

Yesterday, Mr Whichai insisted no DIT staff had profited from the high demand for face masks amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“This is a life and death matter. Anyone who profiteers by hoarding is beyond deplorable,” he said.

Mr Whichai said he had done his best in the job, but said the department under his leadership could not supply masks to all 65 million people in the country based on the production output of 1.2 million per day.

He said the goal of allocating a mask to every person was impractical and unrealistic from the outset.

Initially, the department tackled the shortage with a rationing system, withdrawing about 500,000 masks from circulation and leaving the rest to be managed by the factories. But the supply situation did not improve.

Hospitals began complaining of shortages, prompting the ministry to step in to control the daily mask output nationwide.

But rather than seizing masks for redistribution, the ministry managed the figures so that 700,000 masks were promised to hospitals and medical staff. However, that meant that even fewer masks were made available to the general public.

Mr Whichai said that the ministry took responsibility for transport and distribution of the masks, managing both production and purchasing. Since March 4, more than 15 million masks have passed through the ministry’s hands.

The DIT last week filed a complaint of defamation with the Technology Crime Suppression Division against Customs Department spokesman Chaiyut Khamkhun.

The department accused the spokesman of falsely announcing on Wednesday that the DIT had authorised the export of 330 tonnes of face masks worth 160 million baht in January and February when the items were in short supply and declared controlled products. The DIT explained the exports in question included other products as well such as seat covers, shoelaces and aprons.

Mr Whichai conceded the mask issue had been the toughest assignment of his career.