CityNews – Members of the Chiang Mai media turned up in full force at the Chiang Mai Hills Hotel on Huay Kaew Road today to meet the new governor, Wichian Puttiwinyu.
Governor Wichian Puttiwinyu speaking
Traditionally Tuesdays at 10 a.m. is the time, each week, when the governor or his representative, makes a press announcement. Many governmental as well as private agencies are able, each week, to leave brochures, leaflets, reports, or any pertinent news with the Public Relations Office, Provincial Hall, and copies will be handed out to the media.
To kickstart the new governor’s tenure, he hosted a mobile Tuesday meeting at the Chiang Mai Hills hotel. Each member of the press introduced themselves to the governor, and he, along with the Public Relations officer, a deputy governor as well as chief of Chiang Mai police, sat down to listen to urgent agendas proposed by the press.
Most pressing and with most journos pushing its agenda, is the annual pollution, something no governor has succeedd in combatting. Other issues brought up are crime, tourism, opening of border trade and questioning of the governor’s policies.
Governor Wichian, originally from Chonburi, was recently transferred from Nonthaburi Province close by Bangkok. He said that he had yet to learn enough and listen enough from local experts to form a priority list, but, immediately, he will continue with the previous governor’s policies and make sure that they are implemented to the point of fruition.
He also brings a new idea with him, something he calls, “The Amazing Twins”, which is a method of working as close as possible with the chief of the provincial police. “In the past, and in many provinces,” said Governor Wichain, “Governors do their thing and the police do their thing. I think that if we really want to fight the drugs problem and other crime related issues, then the governor and the chief of police need to be twins.”
Police Major General Grit Gitulue, Commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police Division said, “I am very pleased to be Governor Wichian’s shadow. When he first called me to talk about his idea I was very excited and find him to be very easy to work with and I am very confident of his policy.” Pol. Maj. Gen. Grit went on to say that he is satisfied with the current efforts to fight drugs, as this year’s haul of confiscated goods as well as arrests are twice of those from last year’s. “I am not greedy,” said the governor, “But I want Chiang Mai to reduce its drug problems, it will never be eradicated, but if we can call our province a ‘white’ province that would be great”.
Governor Wichian Phuttiwinyu is a member of the Phua Thai political party.