SOME governors of provinces in Thailand pay up to 20 million baht to win appointment, a former permanent secretary of the Ministry of the Interior has alleged.

Paitoon Boonyawat, who sought early retirement, made his comments at the weekend and was widely reported in the Thai media.

''Lots of people are offering lots of money this season to gain these positions,'' he said.

The allegations were denied by the current permanent secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Manit Wattanasan.

''It's not true,'' he said. ''Khun Paitoon has his own motives for making these allegations.''

Governors traditionally change around April in the traditional annual ''monsoon'' that sees jobs being shuffled.

Khun Paitoon said the money being offered varied depending on the position being sought.

Most of it was because of jockeying among the leading political parties for position for the next national election, he said, with governors and district administrators able to organise voting blocs of supporters.

''One candidate for governor has offered 20 million baht, and a candidate for vice governor has offered 17 million baht,'' he said.

''District administrators are offering 10 million baht.''

One former Deputy Prime Minister under the Thai Rak Thai Party still has control of the Interior Ministry and the Transport Ministry because of the way positions are sold, Khun Paitoon said.