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Published on December 29, 2007

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont will officially remove Wallop Ploytaptim from his present position as permanent secretary of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry and make him a level-11 PM's adviser, according to the ministry's deputy minister Poldej Pinpratheep.

Poldej said yesterday that Surayud would raise the issue in the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday and the switch would take effect immediately.

Surayud will also set up a panel to investigate six allegations made against Wallop, including corruption involving organisations under the ministry, improperly changing government officials' positions in the ministry and committing adultery. The investigation is expected to take more than three months to complete.

"The PM will set up the panel himself without any former members, and it will consider how to punish him appropriately on each count, if he is found guilty".

"The harshest punishment would be dismissal," Poldej said.

He said Surayud would let the ministry's deputy permanent secretary Chanyut Kosirinond act temporarily in place of Wallop until the new government appointed a new permanent secretary.

The Civil Service Commission has reported that Wallop will be removed from the commission after his new appointment has been made.

The Nation