BANGKOK, Feb 8 – Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong vehemently put the brakes on rumours that political pressure has been applied on Bank of Thailand (BoT) Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul to resign.
Mr Kittiratt, concurrently finance minister, said bluntly, “Please stop talking about it. Stop spreading the [false] news.”
Unconfirmed reports have been circulated that the government was trying to unseat Mr Prasarn amid conflicts with the BoT over the country’s directives about the policy interest rate and action on the sharp appreciation of Thailand’s baht currency.
Mr Prasarn insisted earlier that he did not feel pressured regarding Mr Kittirat’s letter to BoT Board Chairman Virabongsa Ramangkura asking him to supervise the operations of the central bank and the Monetary Policy Office (MPO).
The finance minister wanted the MPO to reduce the policy interest rate and take action on the inflows of foreign capital and the strengthening Thai baht.
Mr Prasarn said he has always taken the government’s policy into consideration in making any decision
