FTI faction 'strongly supports' Payungsak

At least seven management executives who belong to the Federation of Thai Industries will complain to the Industry Ministry tomorrow that they have been wrongly named as siding with those trying to oust FTI chairman Payungsak Chartsutipol.

It is another twist in the first-ever major conflict within the FTI, which is undermining the organisation's image.

In a move that has raised legal issues, FTI members have attempted to re-place Payungsak with Santi Vilas-sakdanont.

However, some members are angry with the pro-Santi side for implying that they are on board. They have jointly stressed that they still strongly support Payungsak as chairman.

An FTI source said that indeed those managers had not been approached as claimed by Santi's team.

Payungsak is taking legal action against the members who voted for Santi as the new chairman.

The feud was triggered by the nationwide increase in the minimum daily wage to Bt300 early next year. Payungsak's opponents charge that he has not fought strongly enough to keep wages down.

Both Payungsak and Santi have proposed details on the conflict over the new appointment to Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisuk, who has ordered Witoon Simachokedee, permanent secretary of the ministry, to handle the case.

The Industry Ministry aims to resolve the controversy in the FTI by next week to allow one of the country's most influential organisations to continue operating.

Tanit Sorat, secretary-general of the FTI, said four big corporations - PTT, Saha Group, CP Group and Toyota - had supported Santi to chair the federation.

Santi will allow more FTI chapters in the provinces to work jointly with new board members who will come from those big corporations.

Despite the lack of finality, Santi on Sunday signed off on the appointment of 54 new FTI board members. They include old members of Payungsak's board such as vice chairmen Bavorn Wong-sinudom and Veerasak Kosit-paisal, both from PTT; vice chairman Suparat Siri-suwannang-koon from Toyota; deputy secretary-general Piyanuch Mala-kul from CP Group; and vice chairmen Mungkorn Thanasarnsilp and Sommat Khunset, both from Saha Group. The new board members will be introduced on Friday.

Santi also appointed five regional FTI presidents to the new board.

"The new board members have agreed with the invitation out of confidence that Khun Santi has been appointed in the right way," Tanit said.

The new board members will be endorsed by an FTI committee on December 24, he said.

However, the new board cannot enter the FTI's office in the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, as it protected by police, so it will have to seek a different venue for its meeting on December 24, he said.

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Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/05/fti-faction-strongly-supports-payungsak/