About 300 officials in Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, who claimed they were unfairly transferred, have been asked to file complaints with an ad hoc committee, which has been set up to resolve the problem.

Newly-appointed director-general of the department, Atthaphon Charoenchansa, has promised these officials that he will personally open and read their sealed letters of complaint, before sending them to the committee for consideration.

He said that all the complaints will be treated fairly, addingthat the most important thing about this exercise is to put the right man in the right job.

Atthaphon assured the public that he will work to restore the reputation of the department and the morale of its staff, adding that a new policy directive on working performance will be issued to all unit heads for implementation.

Atthaphon was appointed to replace Rutchada Suriyakul na Ayutya last week, by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-archa. Rutchada was arrested in December by officials of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, on charges of malfeasance for allegedly demanding money from his subordinates in return for retaining in their posts, threatening them with transfers to less attractive posts if they did not pay.