In spite of her initial reaction to her transfer, Chantra said yesterday she had changed her mind after talking to Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet. Thai News Agency quoted her as saying she would not resign after all.

Rather, she will be transferred to the Insurance Department tomorrow and promptly get to work on her new assignment.

"I will dedicate my one year [remaining] for the Kingdom's benefit. I was very appreciative when the commerce minister said that he saw my potential to help transform the Insurance Department into an independent agency," Chantra said.

Last week, the Cabinet approved the Commerce Ministry reshuffle, which saw Chantra unexpectedly transferred to the Insurance Department. Upon learning the news, Chantra, 59, who was on duty in Germany, initially reacted by saying she would consider resigning because she was disappointed with the decision.

The director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, Rachane Potjanasuntorn, has been named to replace her at the Export Promotion Department.

Chantra said she was stunned when she first heard of her transfer, but reconsidered after hearing the minister's explanation.

She said she would spend her final year in office developing the Insurance Department into a non-government organisation, and will aggressively promote both life and non-life insurance using the experience and strategy she had accumulated from her work at the Export Promotion Department.

Meanwhile, a source in the Commerce Ministry said a meeting of Thai commercial counsellors from around the world, which was to be held next month, would have to be postponed following the reshuffle.

The source said the Export Promotion Department would wait for its new director-general before calling the 55 commercial counsellors to a meeting at which next year's export targets will be set.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation