Here The Phuket News takes a look intro the background of new Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana.
Gov Phakaphong was born on 24 February 1961 and is married to Sittinee Tavipatana, who as wife of the Governor of Phuket, will take over as the new president of the Phuket Chapter of the Thai Red Cross.
Gov Phakaphong studied at high school level at Suankularb Wittayalai School in Bangkok and went on to gain a bachelor’s degree in the field Political Science at Chulalongkorn University also in Bangkok.
He then went on to obtain a master’s degree in Public Administration (M.P.A.) from the American International College, Springfield Massachusetts, United States.
After completing his master’s degree Gov Phakaphong went on to study further at the National Defence College of Thailand (NDC), Thailand's highest educational institution on strategy and security studies, where he passed training in their Executive Higher Level program in 2008 and Governing Higher Level program for the Ministry of the Interior in 2010.
As for Gov Phakaphong’s working background, in January 1998 he took on the position of Transport Technical Officer 3 at the Office of the Maritime Promotion Commission at Ministry of Transport.
On September 1, 1988, he worked as a 3-4 Plan and Policy Analyst at the Chiang Rai Governor’s Office until August 31, 1992 when he took on the role of an intelligence officer at the Office of the Permanent Secretary for the Secretary of Interior Justice (OPSI).
Then in June 1994, he joined that General service subdivision at Maha Sarakham Governor's Office. Here he worked until November 1994 when he took over the position of Chief of the Personnel Division 6 at the OPSI.
In January 1996 he joined as Chief of Selection Subdivision of the Personnel Division of the OPSI.
In July 2001 he became a Human Resources Officer at the Office of the Commission on Local Government Personnel Standards of the OPSI. Two year later he became Policy and Planning Analyst within the Public Sector Development Division of the OPSI.
His last administrative position was on September 15, 2006 when he took on the position of Policy and Planning Analyst of the Strategy Subdivision of the Chumphon Governor's Office.
In his positions as vice governor and governor, Gov Phakaphong has worked in provinces including Ranong, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Phang Nga Governor and prior to Phuket Phitsanulok.