Dr. Kulaya Tantitemit opens up about her reasons for resigning as Director-General of the Revenue Department.
Dr. Kulaya has submitted her resignation as Director-General of the Revenue Department and from the boards of three major companies: Thai Airways, SCBX, and Siam Commercial Bank, effective May 1, 2026. She confirmed she will not be joining the boards of the Bank of Thailand or the Monetary Policy Committee and is preparing to rest before taking on independent consulting work.
April 29, 2569, at the Ministry of Finance. Dr. Kulaya Tantitemit, Director-General of the Revenue Department He revealed that he has decided to submit his resignation from his positions as a civil servant and Director-General of the Revenue Department, as well as from his positions as a board member of three companies: Thai Airways Public Company Limited, SCB X Public Company Limited, and Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited, effective May 1, 2026.
"It's like early retirement now. I'll take a break for a while and I don't plan to work full-time anymore. Instead, I'll be on boards and as a consultant in various places, because if I'm no longer a civil servant, there's no restriction on only being able to sit on the boards of three places."
Regarding the rumors about him being appointed to the board of directors of the Bank of Thailand (BOT). Dr. Kulaya revealed that she has confirmed she will not be holding any positions at the Bank of Thailand, including on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), due to very significant limitations, particularly her inability to accept board positions in private companies.
For those who will fill the role while a new director-general is not yet appointed. Dr. Kulaya expects that Mr. Panuwat Leuangwilai, the deputy director-general, will act as her replacement. However, it is anticipated that the policy-making team may expedite the appointment of a permanent director-general as soon as possible to ensure continuity in operations.
Regarding the remaining tasks: Dr. Kulaya stated that most of the issues involved proposals submitted to the Cabinet, which had to be resubmitted due to legal procedures, such as various tax relief measures, foundation deductions, and e-withholding tax.
Dr. Kulaya is a longtime employee of the Ministry of Finance, having risen through the ranks of the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) in the macroeconomic division before becoming the director of the FPO and director-general of the Comptroller General's Department. She is also the first woman to hold the position of director-general of all three revenue-collecting departments: the Revenue Department, the Excise Department, and the Customs Department. She is considered a strong contender to become the first female Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance.
In 2564, as Director of the Fiscal Policy Office, Dr. Kulaya, as a member of the National Think Tank, participated in measures to alleviate and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as "We Don't Leave Anyone Behind," "We Love Each Other," "We Win," "We Travel Together," and later "Half-Price Scheme," "Shop and Get Cashback," and "The More You Spend, The More You Get."
In terms of education, Dr. Kulaya graduated with a first-class honors degree in Economics from Thammasat University before pursuing her master's and doctoral degrees in Economics in the United States.
Read related news
