Thai Foreign Ministry Senior Official Unaware Of Being Transferred By Junta

BANGKOK, June 29 (TNA) The Thai Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Sihasak Phuangketkeow said on Sunday that he was unaware of going to be transferred and become a new Thai ambassador to Japan. Mr. Sihasak, currently the most senior civil servant at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, told Thai News Agency (TNA) that he has now served as permanent secretary for foreign affairs nearly three years and about to complete his office term and it would be appropriate if he has to be transferred to work overseas. It would depend on order from supervisors to assign for a transfer, Mr Sihasak said, adding that the most senior officer at the ministry would have to be appointed as his successor and that he believed Mr Norachit Sinhaseni, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations(UN), should be the most suitable officer to succeed him. However, he noted, it depends on the decision of the supervisors. Several senior civil servants at departments or ministries have been either demoted or promoted after the National Council for Peace and Order(NCPO) which seized power in Thailand following the May 22 coup administers the country. As many as 10 senior officers at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with C10 rank will have to retire at end-September upon reaching the compulsory retirement age 60, said Mr. Sihasak, adding that several reshuffles are, therefore, necessary. A spokesman at the foreign ministry said that so far there was no list of officers who would have to be transferred for the coming fiscal 2015, starting this October 1. Consideration is underway, said the spokesman. (TNA)