Agriculture Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit is in the public spotlight over the abrupt transfer and subsequent resignation of the former director-general of the Department of Royal Rain-making and Agricultural Aviation, Rachen Sillaparaya, to the position of inspector-general of the Agriculture Ministry, following a report that one of Suriya’s nephews had asked to see Rachen regarding an undisclosed matter, but was declined.
The sudden transfer, which came five months ahead of Rachen’s mandatory retirement at the end of September, has prompted him to consider his resignation from government service.
Rachen told the media today that his abrupt transfer might be related to a phone call he received from someone who claimed to be Suriya’s nephew, asking to see him to discuss the maintenance of the department’s fleet of rain-making aircraft, which he refused to do, claiming that he had a business engagement to attend.
He also said that, in his career as a bureaucrat, he has worked with numerous politicians of different governments without being associated with any party, adding that, as an official, he has to comply with the government’s policies.
He said that resigning from the service is an option to maintain his prestige and status as a bureaucrat.
During a TV talk show yesterday, Rachen disclosed that he had received a call from a person who claimed to be a former CEO of an airline seeking an appointment. He received a few more phone calls in February and March, with one of the callers claiming to be Suriya’s nephew, but it was not convenient to see them because of his busy schedule.
In early April, he claimed he, as well as the directors-general of several departments in the Agriculture Ministry, were summoned to see a politician who was later reported to be Suriya, at a political party’s head office, with files on the 2027 fiscal year budget.
Today, Suriya claimed that Rachen’s transfer had nothing to do with his nephew’s request. He said his nephew had called Rachen, but claimed that they did not discuss any business matters.
