“The seven former board members have the right to enter the selection process. I didn’t punish them. We just want clarity and they should stay away while the remaining board members are solving problems,” he said.

The prime minister offered this clarification in response to confusion over the matter.

A comment he made on Friday was mistaken by some people as a sign the former board members were to be reinstated.

General Prayut said he would issue his order tomorrow to make sure the executive board of ThaiHealth resumed its work without the seven removed officials.

“The vacant seats of the deputy board chairmen will be filled. The remaining board members will be selected later,” he said. “The selection can be done sooner or later. Simply put, the board should be able to function normally from January 18 [tomorrow].”

On Friday, Prayut softened his stance over the controversy by offering his apology to senior doctors upset about what was perceived as government interference.

He said sorry three times yesterday to senior doctors while visiting the Stock Exchange of Thailand. He made the apology while giving a speech to executives of capital and securities companies and later in an interview to the media.

On January 5, the National Council for Peace and Order issued an order to fire the seven board members. This led to difficulties in the committee’s operations and the selection of a new ThaiHealth manager because the board was incomplete.