Coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has stepped in to put the brakes on the resignation of air force commander Prajin Juntong as chairman of Thai Airways International (THAI), a source at the Transport Ministry said Thursday.
ACM Prajin, the deputy chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) overseeing economic affairs, had reportedly planned to tender his resignation Thursday ahead of a board meeting Friday.
His resignation was believed to be intended to pave the way for the reshuffle of 56 state enterprise boards under a policy devised by the NCPO.
The source said Gen Prayuth had ordered ACM Prajin to withhold his resignation for the time being, as he is needed in the job to carry out the junta's restructuring plans.
ACM Prajin would have to continue his THAI chairmanship as he has a duty to restructure the company's operation and cut privileges and free tickets given to board members, the source said.
Meanwhile, several state enterprise board chairs are resigning from their posts.
Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) chairwoman Ratchanee Treepipatkul yesterday announced her resignation at a board meeting.
MRTA governor Yongsit Rojsrikul said he will report the matter to the Transport Ministry and assign legal teams to study whether the resignation will affect other board members.
Bidding of the Green Line electric railway project could face further delays pending the appointment of a new chairman, he said. The process has already been delayed for four months, he said.
Anchalee Chavanich, chairwoman of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s (Egat) board, said yesterday she had submitted her resignation on Wednesday.
She said her resignation was in line with the NCPO's policy to reform the state enterprise system.
Her resignation would not affect Egat's operation and the country's power supply security, she said.