Bangkok: "Phumtham" dined with the media and took a tour of his office to bid farewell to his position as Minister of Interior. He opened up about his dream of working closely with the people since studying political science. He revealed that if he had the opportunity to become a minister again, he would only want to serve as Minister of Interior. Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and the former Director-General of the Land Department joined in the ceremony, saying that what has passed should be bygone.
According to Thai News Agency, on his final day at the Ministry of Interior, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, visited the Ministry of Interior's press room in the afternoon to talk and share refreshments with the media. He discussed the general political situation and opened up about his political career after leaving office.
Mr. Phumtham then took the media on a tour of the Interior Minister's office, revealing that he doesn't have many belongings, as he is a simple-minded minister. He also stated that he has already gradually removed some of his personal belongings from the ministry.
Mr. Phumtham spoke with and answered questions from the press, stating that he wanted to return to this position because he wanted to work. He said the ministry offered a wealth of work, and he didn't feel disheartened, as he had studied directly in this field and was closely connected to the people. This work was familiar to him since studying political science at Chulalongkorn University. It was a childhood dream, leading him to pursue bachelor's and master's degrees in public administration. This doesn't mean that working in other ministries isn't good, but rather, it's a different experience. For example, working at the Ministry of Commerce involves overseeing agricultural issues, while serving as Minister of Defense requires calmness and thoughtfulness. However, the Ministry of Interior, which is deeply connected to people's lives, has deep understanding of the problems and hardships of the people, including water, electricity, and land.
He expressed regret at the failure to address the drug problem and the issue of influential people, as these are problematic areas and have only recently been addressed. He addressed Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the prospective Minister of the Interior. While he did not want to emphasize the issue, he expressed regret at the Khao Kradong issue. He stated that, based on the facts, it had been royal land from the beginning, and a royal decree had been issued to protect it. He expressed his disapproval of any errors in the process. He did not blame anyone, but the incident resulted in the disappearance of royal land. Therefore, he urged action to restore it to its former status. He cited Sanam Luang as an example, stating that it is considered royal land. He urged that this matter be resolved so that the public can rest assured that justice and righteousness will prevail in the country. He also addressed the issue of drugs, which the public sees as a greater problem than the economy, and urged them to address. He be lieved Mr. Anutin was well-aware of the other issues.
At the end, Mr. Phumtham reiterated that if he had the opportunity to return as a minister, he would like to stay at the Ministry of Interior, the only ministry.
In addition, Ms. Thirat Samretwanich, Deputy Minister of Interior, presented a garland to Mr. Phumtham on the occasion of his departure from office. Mr. Decha-ism Khaothong also assigned a team to deliver a garland due to his busy schedule. Mr. Phumtham expressed his gratitude and sent his regards.
Similarly, Mr. Arsit Sampantharat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, along with the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Director-General, civil servants and officials, prepared red roses to present to Mr. Phumtham, who was also accompanied by Mr. Pornpoj Penpas, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and former Director-General of the Department of Lands.
Mr. Phumtham spoke with Mr. Phonpoj and put his arm around him, saying, "Let bygones be bygones." Mr. Phonpoj replied, "It's okay. I respect you." Meanwhile, Mr. Phumtham turned to Mr. Arsit and put his hand on his shoulder, saying they would likely meet again. He then got into his car and left the Ministry of Interior. He rolled down the window to greet the officials and left the Ministry of Interior at 3:45 p.m.