Officials of the National Health Security Office showed up Friday to give moral support to the office’s secretary-general, Dr Winai Sawatdiworn
Dr Winai Sawatdiworn
The officials also vowed to collect signatures among them to back up a petition to NCPO head and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha seeking justice for Dr Winai.
No clarification was given for the transfer of 71 officials and local administrators, including Dr Winai, by the NCPO.
He said that they would be reinstated if they were later cleared of any wrongdoings. Apparently a reoccurring theme to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha rule of justice, your guilty until you prove your innocent.
Dr Winai, meanwhile, admitted that he was totally in the dark about the reason for his transfer. He said that the National Health Security Office had never been investigated for corruption.
Dr Winai insisted that throughout his past seven years as head of the office he had dedicated all his efforts to develop health security for the people. On top of that, he said that the office’s managing of the revolving fund had won praise from the Department of Comptroller for six consecutive years.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha pleaded with members of the public not to view the Tuesday’s removal of two permanent secretaries by the cabinet as a proof that they are guilty of wrongdoings of some sort.
In reference to the transfer of natural resources and environment permanent secretary Mingkwan Wichayarangsaridh and ICT permanent secretary Methini Thepamani, the prime minister, however, said that the two officials were in a list of officials under investigation of alleged corruption.
The cabinet on Tuesday also appointed General Vilas Arunsri, secretary-general of the prime minister, to perform an addition duty as the spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office on an interim basis until there is an official appointment.