BANGKOK (NNT) - The Minister of Public Health has been criticized for the handling of the COVID-19 situation, with a campaign launched online to have him removed from his position. The Health Minister yesterday posted on his Facebook account to thank people who continue to support him, stressing that he will continue to work with medical and healthcare workers to help the people.

 

In a Facebook post, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said he is willing to continue working with medical and healthcare workers under the Ministry of Public Health as well as other agencies to effectively control the disease and help the people.

 

He said in the post however that his authority as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health comes under the Prime Minister, who is highest in the chain of command, stressing that he has always complied with the the Prime Minister’s policies and directions.

 

On the policies regarding the COVID-19 situation, Mr Anutin elaborated that the policies are decided by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration chaired by the Prime Minister, with orders made in a single command system, while the Ministry of Public Health is obliged to follow the CCSA’s orders.

 

The Public Health Minister has asked for his actions not to be used to create political conflict in the country that would affect health workers and the public health system, saying that there is no seizure of power within the Ministry of Public Health, as the Prime Minister himself has always been the leader in his role as head of government, the executive head of the country, and head of the CCSA.

 

The Facebook post from the Minister of Public Health was made after a group called the “out of patience doctors” launched a petition on the Change.org website calling for Mr Anutin to step down from his position, blaming his inability to control the spread of COVID-19. The online petition has now received more than 200,000 supporters.

 

The Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed his support to Mr Anutin, the Deputy Minister of Public Health Satit Pitutacha, and other ministerial executives who are considered the government’s frontline, stressing that there are no problems within the Ministry of Public Health.

 

The Prime Minister has also expressed his support for the public health team, and thanked volunteers and organizations that have given help, saying this is the right time for Thai people to unite, as this is essentially Thai people’s spirit.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-04-27

 

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So Anutin vows to work with doctors, but are the doctors prepared to work  with a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing.

6 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Anutin Charnvirakul said he is willing to continue working with medical and healthcare workers

another maskless photo ! what is this guy, 6 years old ? (emotionally and intellectually it would seem so)

Just now, colinneil said:

So Anutin vows to work with doctors, but are the doctors prepared to work  with a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing.

I'm sure the psychiatric doctors have seen it all before.

8 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

stressing that he will continue to work with medical and healthcare workers

was he working with them before or was it all just public speak-<deleted> ?

20k Baht, mask please.

Why not? He makes it clear in the above statement that as Deputy Prime minister he has no authority and that all decisions are made by Prime Minister Prayut.  As far as the virus goes, all decisions are made by the CCSA so he has no responsibility for those either. Makes you wonder why they bother to employ him.

He seems to be confirming that anything he does is only done with the direct authorisation of the Prime Minister.

 

I think we all knew that anyway.

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

...stressing that he will continue to work with medical and healthcare workers to help the people.

What else would he do? Huff and puff and sulk -- like a 8-year-old when mommy reprimands them for not having done their homework?

 

But then again...

14 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

he is willing to continue working with medical and healthcare workers...

Willing! Almost sounds as if we had to bow before His Excellency for being so graceful as to do the job assigned to him.

 

Go back to your concrete mixers, construction trucks and backhoes, Mr. Anutin! And don't forget wearing your mask! You seem to forget it quite often.

So in fact Mr Prayuth tells him what to do and he does it.. Not knowing what ... And Prayuth doesn;'t know anything either.. so two dumbo's  as head of a Government. The only doctor he sees and work with is his shrink when he is out of pills...Totally incompetent both

"with orders made in a single command system". You can say that again!!!!

Course he does that's mainly because he is a self entitled egotistical <deleted> with no honour that has been taught from birth that he is entitled to greatness because his is from an hi-so/rich family, he is a glaring example of all that is wrong...

38 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

Go back to your concrete mixers, construction trucks and backhoes, Mr. Anutin! And don't forget wearing your mask! You seem to forget it quite often.

No, he will not! Certification of vaccines, quarantines, etc. is much better 'business' now. ????

As Jonathan Head quite rightly said:

 

Jonathan Head

 

@pakhead

·

26 Apr

 

 

Many governments have stumbled in dealing with Covid-19. Those that haven’t, like Jacinda Adern in NZ, tend to enjoy strong public trust and reputations for agility and competence. Thailand’s government, stacked with cronies and old-style godfathers, has none of these qualities.

Anutin seems to prefer to be photographed wearing his white tunic these days. Is this to lull the public into thinking he is a doctor and knows what he is talking about? I hope most netizens realize that he his degree is in Engineering not Medicine. He also holds a PhD in BS...

He will stay, there is lots of wear in that shirt yet!

He's going to build them something..

He's been officially sidelined now anyway. Inactive post for him, a bit more freedom to go and ruin some other project

 

To “efficiently manage the current #COVID19 situation”, the cabinet approves to temporary transfer powers as stipulated in 31 different law acts from the respective ministers to PM effectively giving him more powers.

 

The 31 law acts incl. health related ones e.g. the Communicable Diseases Act, Drug Act, Natl Vaccine Act, Public Health Act, but also related security (e.g. Cybersecurity Act, Computer Crimes Act) and transport (Immigration Act, Air Navigation Act, Road Traffic Act).

 

This can be seen as a further slight against Anutin, who’s Min, but also Dep-PM and leader of coalition partner.  He earlier blamed PM’s “top down approach” as part of the problem behind the current #COVID19 outbreak.

 

https://twitter.com/SaksithCNA/status/1386985857991671813

 

3 hours ago, kdugmore said:

Why not? He makes it clear in the above statement that as Deputy Prime minister he has no authority and that all decisions are made by Prime Minister Prayut.  As far as the virus goes, all decisions are made by the CCSA so he has no responsibility for those either. Makes you wonder why they bother to employ him.

Sounds like Anutin is just passing the buck, Oh not my fault I take order from PM, I can't think for myself.... 

And its a bit late in the day promising to work with medical professionals,.... You should have been doing this when you took up the position... 

New orders published in media now:

 

PM appointed Thailand’s “COVID Czar” in sole charge of handling the pandemic

 

The Thai cabinet today (Tuesday) designated Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as the sole authority in charge of all responsibilities and duties, previously vested in his ministers, to deal with the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The powers vested in various ministers, by virtue of various laws regarding the issuance of orders, permits and approvals which will help in preventing or containing COVID spread or in helping the people, will be vested in the prime minister on temporary basis.

According to the cabinet, the concentration of powers with the prime minister is to ensure efficiency in the efforts to deal with the disease.

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pm-appointed-thailands-covid-czar-in-sole-charge-of-handling-the-pandemic/

Autocratic control by Prayut now. He will be barking out the orders left, right and center. Sieg Heil...

55 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

New orders published in media now:

 

PM appointed Thailand’s “COVID Czar” in sole charge of handling the pandemic

 

The Thai cabinet today (Tuesday) designated Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as the sole authority in charge of all responsibilities and duties, previously vested in his ministers, to deal with the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The powers vested in various ministers, by virtue of various laws regarding the issuance of orders, permits and approvals which will help in preventing or containing COVID spread or in helping the people, will be vested in the prime minister on temporary basis.

According to the cabinet, the concentration of powers with the prime minister is to ensure efficiency in the efforts to deal with the disease.

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pm-appointed-thailands-covid-czar-in-sole-charge-of-handling-the-pandemic/

 

Yes a man with such a good record for crisis management is certainly the right man for the job,  oh sorry Gen Prayut you say ohhh <deleted> we're doomed!!!

 

The lunatics have most certainly taken over the asylum but that's what you get when meritocracy is not part of the leadership recruitment  process...

Anyone that has many Thai friends on FB will know exactly what the Thai public think of this guy and his 'supporters' 

And to show how bad things are this is the most sensible man in government. every man for himself the tide is rising ????

12 hours ago, kdugmore said:

Why not? He makes it clear in the above statement that as Deputy Prime minister he has no authority and that all decisions are made by Prime Minister Prayut.  As far as the virus goes, all decisions are made by the CCSA so he has no responsibility for those either. Makes you wonder why they bother to employ him.

Its the 'Not me guv, its that bloke over there' policy.

Then, after a couple of days, it all gets buried under a blizzard of other announcements. (The 'Look over there, not here. Nothing to see here, move along. Draw a line in the sand' policy).

Meanwhile, Nero keeps fiddling.

Please use discretion in your references to the government. Phrases which can be considered as anti-coup will be removed. Referring to Thailand or the government as a dictatorship, military dictatorship or other such terms will be removed.

13 hours ago, kdugmore said:

Why not? He makes it clear in the above statement that as Deputy Prime minister he has no authority and that all decisions are made by Prime Minister Prayut.  As far as the virus goes, all decisions are made by the CCSA so he has no responsibility for those either. Makes you wonder why they bother to employ him.

Must be a poor translation.  This is throwing ones boss under the buss in this situation.  'Complied with' him vs 'supported him'. 

What would be a better choice to say to the public as a show of strength from govt?

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Health Minister yesterday posted on his Facebook account to thank people who continue to support him, stressing that he will continue to work with medical and healthcare workers to help the people.

But they're telling him to bu**er off and let them do what they've been trained to do.

13 hours ago, kdugmore said:

Makes you wonder why they bother to employ him.

Prayut needs the support of Anutins party... so he gets a good position & salary.

But now he will have to ask for permission from God!