Amnesty International Blasts Inhumane Practice Of ‘Transferring’ High-Ranking Officials

[Boater]

NOTE: THIS IS SATIRE

THIS IS NOT A REAL NEWS STORY

BANGKOK – International rights advocacy group Amnesty International launched a campaign yesterday to highlight what it calls the “cruel and inhumane” practice of transferring high-ranking officials from one position to another as punishment for wrongdoing or corruption in Thailand.“In the 21st century, it is simply inconceivable that a civilized country would allow this barbaric and antiquated act of career-punishment to continue,” said Norma Kang Muico, an AI regional officer. “The global community must stand up to fight this horrific practice, in the name of humanity.”

The practice of transferring involves the lateral shifting of a bureaucrat or minister to another post in the same or similar department as punishment for criminal behavior or incompetence. According to Muico, this action often includes a “minor demotion of rank” and “potential reduction in salary” of as much as 15%.

What AI finds most objectionable, however, is the so called “loss of face” that the official will have to endure for the rest of his or her life.

“Face means everything in Thai culture,” Muico explained. “To be transferred from your post is basically to endure the public loss of face, which is worse than death. It’s a form of torture that should be outlawed by the Geneva Convention.”

Although transferred officials in Thailand are typically spared any actual investigation into their alleged crimes, and never lose employment benefits or serve jail time, the process of having been moved from one office to another – sometimes in a different building altogether – can leave psychological scars that are as just as damaging.

Amnesty also highlighted what it called the most egregious cases of transferring, to “inactive posts” that do not even require the victim to show up for work in order to collect a large salary.

“To have nothing to do all day is to be deprived, and deprivation is a known torture technique,” Muico said.

The timing of Amnesty’s campaign is believed to have been inspired by the recent decision of Pheu Thai MP Chalerm Yoobamruang to transfer National Police Chief General Wichean Potephosree following accusations that he failed to crack down on illegal gambling dens.

Wichean will now face the life-destroying punishment of having to be employed as the National Security Council secretary-general, a high executive position with full benefits and privileges, including a government-paid BMW 7-series for personal and business use.

Muico says that the Wichean case, while emblematic of the cruelty of the Thai justice system, is not unique and pointed out other prominent instances of alleged transfer abuse:

· Plodprasop Suraswadi, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, was transferred to an inactive post in 2004 for allegedly allowing the illegal export of endangered tiger species to China.

· Lt-Colonel Surin Plairahan was transferred to the Bangkok Immigration Office for allegedly allowing Thai gamblers to travel without visas to illegal casinos in Cambodia at the Aranyaprathet border checkpoint in 2005.

· In March of this year, at least two Army officers were transferred after a large number of weapons went missing from the 1st Infantry Battalion at the Royal Thai Army Infantry Centre in Pran Buri district of Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

In response to Amnesty International’s accusations, a government spokesperson insisted that transfers were a perfectly humane way to deal with difficult corruption scenarios.

“We provide the accused with a lifetime salary, an easy job, and all the privileges that a powerful person is entitled to under Thai culture,” said PM representative Thitima Chaisaeng.

Furthermore, Thitima insisted that the transfer punishments were really less severe than Amnesty was portraying.

“As soon as the winds of power shift at the top, the transferred person usually gets transferred back quietly,” she explained. “So really, there’s no punishment at all.”

source - http://notthenation.com/2011/09/amnesty-international-blasts-inhumane-practice-of-%e2%80%98transferring%e2%80%99-high-ranking-officials/

[MickA]

Brilliant

[Soutpeel]

Very good...

[sbk]

Lets all remember this story is satire and to refrain from defamatory posts about individuals, please

[Soutpeel]

Lets all remember this story is satire and to refrain from defamatory posts about individuals, please

Spoil sport....

[Boater]

Lets all remember this story is satire and to refrain from defamatory posts about individuals, please

Spoil sport....

........ its more fun if you put the Satire at the bottom ......... but people still wont see it

[Moonrakers]

Don't worry folks.

Some don't seem to know what the word satire means, even if it is in big red letters. We'll still get to have some fun.

[mca]

It's about time that somebody with International standing took an interest in the despicable affair of these transferring of posts. I'm glad Amnesty have shown their interest and maybe some action will be taken to stamp out this practise.

[zzaa09]

It's about time that somebody with International standing took an interest in the despicable affair of these transferring of posts. I'm glad Amnesty have shown their interest and maybe some action will be taken to stamp out this practise.

Highly uncivilised practices. Such a disgrace.:jap:

[paulian]

Satire &^%? Is that like a Planet ?

[harrry]

SATIRE SATIRE SATIRE

Is being transfered like getting banned?

United nations should investigate.......ooops

[ballpoint]

Satire &^%? Is that like a Planet ?

No, you're thinking of Uranus

[mca]

Wouldn't it be great to see a news flash of large alien crustaceans from the 7th planet invading earth.

" This just in. We are receiving unconfirmed reports of giant crabs from Uranus."

[Mephistophiles]

I'd be devastated, less responsibility and a 7 series BMW for personal use.

[paulian]

Yea, good thoughts by normally ignorant, ill-informed Amnesty ?$%^. Look how well transferring Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong did a few years ago for unsubstantiated allegations. He's now been banished to Police chief.

[elgato]

Satire &^%? Is that like a Planet ?

No, you're thinking of Uranus

Who's anus?

[Thaddeus]

Satire &^%? Is that like a Planet ?

No, you're thinking of Uranus

Who's anus?

Goofy......... wait, that was Pluto.

[Beetlejuice]

Can someone please say which country has the perfect legal system and is better than Thailand?

For example: in England young thugs are getting off with a slap on the wrist or £50 fines for turning people’s lives into hell, even murder in some cases.

Then there is the other end of the spectrum, such as the Middle East where young women can suffer horrific deaths for just eyeing up a guy, wearing the wrong sorts of clothes and a petty thief can be lynched by the whole village with the blessing of the police.

Sorry, but there is no such Kingdom as Utopia, where justice is seen to be done and all the best from every country in the world is put into one place.

Of every country in the world, some things are good, others are not so good. We have to take the rough with the smooth wherever we live because as the insignificant people of this world, with no clout or power, there is not much we can do about it.

[Boater]

Can someone please say which country has the perfect legal system and is better than Thailand?

For example: in England young thugs are getting off with a slap on the wrist or £50 fines for turning people's lives into hell, even murder in some cases.

Then there is the other end of the spectrum, such as the Middle East where young women can suffer horrific deaths for just eyeing up a guy, wearing the wrong sorts of clothes and a petty thief can be lynched by the whole village with the blessing of the police.

Sorry, but there is no such Kingdom as Utopia, where justice is seen to be done and all the best from every country in the world is put into one place.

Of every country in the world, some things are good, others are not so good. We have to take the rough with the smooth wherever we live because as the insignificant people of this world, with no clout or power, there is not much we can do about it.

there is always one ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[iono]

Normally this kind of stuff makes me laugh, but honestly I find no humor in this at all....case in point recent events in Udon Thani, I just can't laugh at this crap anymore...

[Boater]

Normally this kind of stuff makes me laugh, but honestly I find no humor in this at all....case in point recent events in Udon Thani, I just can't laugh at this crap anymore...

its only amusing as most of the time it is the truth !,

sorry ....... i am unsure what happned in Udon Thani .....

[Moonrakers]

Can someone please say which country has the perfect legal system and is better than Thailand?

For example: in England young thugs are getting off with a slap on the wrist or £50 fines for turning people's lives into hell, even murder in some cases.

Then there is the other end of the spectrum, such as the Middle East where young women can suffer horrific deaths for just eyeing up a guy, wearing the wrong sorts of clothes and a petty thief can be lynched by the whole village with the blessing of the police.

Sorry, but there is no such Kingdom as Utopia, where justice is seen to be done and all the best from every country in the world is put into one place.

Of every country in the world, some things are good, others are not so good. We have to take the rough with the smooth wherever we live because as the insignificant people of this world, with no clout or power, there is not much we can do about it.

We have a winner!!!!!

[mca]

Reel him in! ( Sorry beetlejuice mate )

[Moonrakers]

Bless 'im

[ballpoint]

Wouldn't it be great to see a news flash of large alien crustaceans from the 7th planet invading earth.

" This just in. We are receiving unconfirmed reports of giant crabs from Uranus."

Well I'd be glad to be rid of them.

[ballpoint]

Satire &^%? Is that like a Planet ?

No, you're thinking of Uranus

Who's anus?

Goofy......... wait, that was Pluto.

Reminds me of a girl I knew. She had a body like Venus, a mind like Pluto, and a face like Uranus.