The cabinet yesterday approved the nomination of Prasong Poontaneat as the new permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance to replace Somchai Sujjapongse, who resigned earlier this month in what critics took as a sign of protest.
Ekniti: Lands top job at Revenue Dept
The cabinet also approved director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO) Ekniti Nitithanprapas to succeed Mr Prasong as the new director-general of the Revenue Department.
Mr Prasong is a seasoned revenue collector with two and half years' service left before he retires.
He previously served as director-general at the Customs Department and the SEPO.
Mr Prasong has been a member of the board at various state enterprises including the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT), Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of Thailand, Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT), and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Deputy Finance Minister Wisudhi Srisuphan said the nomination was befitting. He expressed confidence in Mr Prasong and described the new permanent secretary as very experienced.
He said that Mr Ekniti was another good pick as the young gun worked at the Fiscal Policy Office where he was responsible for overseeing revenue collection.
Other changes at the ministry saw Prapas Kong-Ied, director-general of the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO), replace Mr Ekniti at the SEPO, while Inspector-General of Finance Poomsak Aranyakasemsuk succeeds Mr Prapas at the PDMO.
The reshuffle at the Ministry of Finance follows the departure of Mr Somchai, whose resignation will take effect on May 1.
Prasong: Replaces Somchai at ministry
Mr Somchai's departure came after the cabinet decided early this month to move Porametee Vimolsiri, the secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board, to the position of permanent secretary at the Social Development Ministry.
Mr Somchai, a finance ministry veteran, was transferred to become the new boss at the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB). He was reportedly unhappy about the move and subsequently resigned.
The cabinet also appointed Tosaporn Sirisamphan, secretary-general at the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC), as the new secretary-general at the NESDB.
Kobsak Pootrakool, minister to the PM's Office, said Mr Tosaporn's experience on improving competitiveness could help Thailand upgrade businesswise.
The new boss of the NESDB would have much on his plate as the agency will be tasked with helping to implement national reform and development, said Mr Kobsak.
The NESDB will play a key role in establishing a national committee to oversee the implementation of a national development masterplan.
Mr Kobsak said the NESDB would be required to undergo major reform to handle pressing issues like Thailand's greying society and the need for more highly skilled labour in the workforce to meet the needs of "Thailand 4.0".
