The Interior Ministry is known as one of Thailand’s most bureaucratic and hierarchical government agencies and this is something that new Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wants to change.
On his first visit to the ministry on Thursday, Anutin made it clear that, from now on, he will be working with officials and personnel as “a team of brothers and sisters.”
“On my watch, I don’t’ want to hear the word ‘master’,” he said, referring to the custom of junior officials referring to their superiors as such.
Anutin also said that the Thai word “than”, which is often used to refer to people of seniority to indicate deference, should not be used either.
“We are a team of brothers and sisters, with a common goal to serve the people,” he told reporters after meeting with the ministry’s officials and personnel.
Interior is one of Thailand’s oldest ministries, with broad powers over local administration, internal security, citizenship and disaster management. It also has direct supervision over provincial governors across the country.
Anutin said, under his leadership, the ministry will focus on improving people’s livelihoods.
A successful businessman, 57-year-old Anutin is known as a down-to-earth politician. He is the leader of the Bhumjaithai party, a key member of the Srettha coalition government and served as public health minister in the previous administration.
One of Anutin’s much reported activities is flying his private planes, to support medical teams in transporting organs across the country.
