The Prime Minister reaffirmed there will be no "reset" of the Interior Ministry, but said he is pressing ahead with realigning personnel to suit the work. He pledged to accelerate the crackdown on corruption, citing the civil-service exam cheating scandal and encroachment on state land as examples, and stressed that transfers will be based on capability — not colour or faction. He took a swipe at the so-called "Monaco Red-Green Declaration," saying that mix red and green together and you still end up with blue.
At 08:06 on 30 July, at Government House, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul gave an interview on the claim that the Interior Ministry would be "reset" in August, beginning with personnel transfers. He said: "Everything — don't call it a reset, because the word 'reset' implies it will have an effect on operations. What has happened at the Interior Ministry is regrettable. Those who were supervising and causing public concern and dissatisfaction — the civil-service exam cheating case, for instance — it is the same principle as when Minister Suchat Chomklin of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment went to reclaim state land that had been encroached upon publicly. The same principle — there is no need to prove a great deal; the evidence is already clear. Your own things, which is my intention — I intend to have inspections conducted in parallel across multiple agencies. I have seen that in just two weeks we were able to uncover corrupt conduct, identify those involved, issue summonses and arrest warrants, and pursue criminal, civil, and disciplinary proceedings. Everything is proceeding along the right track. Whoever acts properly, the government will support. Whoever breaks the rules, the government will move swiftly to suppress it and find ways to prevent it from happening again."
When asked further whether there would be a major reshuffle in August, the Prime Minister said: "What does 'major' or 'minor' even mean? We transfer people correctly and appropriately to match the work and the situation. There may be a period that suits one person, but once that period has passed, it may suit someone else. This is something every executive must assess."
When asked what principle the Prime Minister uses to guide transfers — whether it is a matter of "red lions and black lions" (factional allegiances) or capability — the Prime Minister said: "No. This government is red, white, and blue. There are no other colours."
When asked about reports of a "Monaco Red-Green Declaration" following Capt. Thammanat Prompao, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party's splinter Kla Tham Party, flying to Monaco to meet former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra — and whether this constituted any kind of political signal — the Prime Minister said: "Mix red and green together however you like, and it still ends up blue."
