Friday, September 16, 2016

Province governor reshuffle, part 2

Again it was the Phuket Gazette which made me notice the second part of the province governor reshuffle, this time six reassignments approved by the cabinet in their meeting on Tuesday. The full list of new governors according to the government news agency is as listed below. Hopefully my romanizations of the names aren't too wrong. With this list the reshuffle should be complete, as now no province has its governor post vacant anymore.
  • Suchin Chaichumsak (นายสุจินต์ ไชยชุมศักดิ์), governor of Nakhon Nayok to become governor of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.
  • Chokchai Detamornthan (นายโชคชัย เดชอมรธัญ), governor of Maha Sarakham to become governor of Phuket.
  • Suwat Phromsuwan (นายสุวัฒน์ พรมสุวรรณ), governor of Nan to become governor of Lampang.
  • Phaisan Wimonrat (นายไพศาล วิมลรัตน์), deputy governor of Chachoengsao to become governor of Nan.
  • Narongsak Chaloemkiat (นายณรงค์ศักดิ์ เฉลิมเกียรติ), deputy governor of Samut Sakhon to become governor of Phayao.
  • Wirasak Wichitsaengsi (นายวีระศักดิ์ วิจิตร์แสงศรี), deputy governor of Suphanburi to become governor of Phichit.
  • Phibun Thatthakitkoson (นายพิบูลย์ หัตถกิจโกศล), deputy governor of Pathum Thani to become governor of Phetchabun (in source wrongly said Phetchaburi).
  • Watthana Phutichat (นายวัฒนา พุฒิชาติ), deputy governor of Si Sa Ket to become governor of Phrae.
  • Suebsak Iamwichan (นายสืบศักดิ์ เอี่ยมวิจารณ์), deputy governor of Sing Buri to become governor of Mae Hong Son.
  • Wirachai Phuphiangchai (นายวีระชัย ภู่เพียงใจ), deputy governor of Uttaradit to become governor of Lamphun.
  • Nathaphat Suwanprathip (นายณัฐภัทร สุวรรณประทีป), deputy governor of Lopburi to become governor of Kalasin.
  • Phisut Butyapronpheng (นายพิสุทธิ์ บุษยพรรณพงศ์), deputy governor of Ubon Ratchathani to become governor of Bueng Kan.
  • Sen Nonthachot (นายเสน่ห์ นนทะโชติ), deputy governor of Loei to become governor of Maha Sarakham.
  • Sarit Witoon (นายสฤษดิ์ วิฑูรย์), assistant permanent secretary to become governor of Roi Et.
  • Khumphon Bonthaithuk (นายคุมพล บรรเทาทุกข์), deputy governor of Sakon Nakhon to become governor of Loei.
  • Witthaya Chanchalong (นายวิทยา จันทร์ฉลอง), deputy governor of Buriram to become governor of Sakon Nakhon.
  • Thanakon Ingchitphaisan (นายธนากร อึ้งจิตรไพศาล), deputy governor of Phitsanulok to become governor of Nong Bua Lam Phu.
  • Sirirat Khumupkan (นายสิริรัฐ ขุมอุปการ), deputy governor of Khon Kaen to become governor of Amnat Charoen.
  • Narong Phonla-iat (นายณรงค์ พลละเอียด), deputy governor of Ranong to become governor of Chumphon.
  • Siriphat Phatkun (นายศิริพัฒ พัฒกุล), deputy governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat to become governor of Trang.
  • Wiranan Phengchan (นายวีรนันทน์ เพ็งจันทร์), deputy governor of Pattani to become governor of Pattani.
  • Chatuphot Piyampura (นายจตุพจน์ ปิยัมปุตระ), deputy governor of Ranong to become governor of Ranong.
  • Aichai Innat (นายอวยชัย อินทร์นาค), deputy governor of Surat Thani to become governor of Surat Thani.
  • Nimit Wanchaithonwong (นายนิมิต วันไชยธนวงศ์), deputy governor of Yala to become governor of Chainat.
  • Pradit Yomanan (นายประดิษฐ์ ยมานันท์), deputy director general to become governor of Nakhon Nayok.
  • Khanchat Tansathian (นายคันฉัตร ตันเสถียร), deputy governor of Ubon Ratchathani to become governor of Samut Songkhram.
  • Sanrong Phongcharoen (นายกล้าณรงค์ พงษ์เจริญ), deputy governor of Chanthaburi to become governor of Sa Kaeo.
Interesting to note - this year it was the first time the reshuffle was also announced in the Royal Gazette - part one can now also be found officially here. In the 1950s there were some announcements on province governor assignments, but since then it was only done by ministerial orders.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

RIP Gwillim Law

Gwillim Law, the author of the incredible website statoids.com, has passed away recently. I was lucky to be able to get a used copy of his book "Administrative Subdivisions of Countries" when I started writing in Wikipedia on these, and later his website became a great resource to find up-to-date information. With time, I was able to get into the Thai subdivision to a much deeper degree and getting access to the primary sources, so for example for the 2010 census I was able to provide him with data as a way to return the favor.

His daughter Shirley has taken over the enormous task of keeping his website running - knowing how much time I spend on just a single country, covering the whole world down to the second level subdivisions must be a full time work. I only hope she can keep up the heritage of her father, and of course whenever there are any changes in Thailand to be included I will notify her same as I did before with him.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Rename of Muban in Nakhon Sawan

Earlier today, the change of name of one administrative village in Nakhon Sawan was announced in the Royal Gazette. Mu 5 of Yang Tan subdistrict, Khok Phra district, was renamed from Ban Ta Nio (บ้านตานิว) to Ban Yang Tan (บ้านยางตาล). The name change was approved by the board to consider name changes in their meeting 1/2559 on April 29 - sadly no transcript or summary of these board meetings is available online.

Interestingly, in my XML I already had the new name, probably copied from the website of Yang Tan subdistrict administrative organization. Checking the other sources I used to compile my Muban list, it showed that the postcode list at noplink had the original name, and also back in 1997 when the subdistrict boundaries were defined officially that Muban was listed as Ban Ta Nio [Gazette].