Red-Faced Thai Defence Minister Sukumpol Rebukes Sathian Over Reshuffle Leak

[webfact]

Red-faced Sukumpol rebukes Sathian over reshuffle leak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwannathat yesterday said he had acted within his mandate to place his permanent secretary General Sathien Permthong-in on secondment in the wake of an embarrassing leak of the military reshuffle list.

Sukumpol said the list was an internal affair which should be discussed in private between him and relevant officials, rebuking Sathien for airing his views in public.

"I find the leak very embarrassing," he said, arguing he was justified in exerting his decisive leadership in order to ensure the smooth functioning of his ministry.

He said he alone was responsible for Sathien's secondment, dismissing speculation about political meddling in dispensing military assignments.

Sathien and two senior officers have been reassigned to other jobs on a temporary basis at Sukumpol's office although their positions remain intact. In their new positions, the three will advise the minister about the southern violence and natural disasters.

The secondment order was issued on Monday in the wake of Sathien's request last week to see the prime minister to air his complaint about Sukumpol's involvement in choosing a new Defence permanent secretary to replace him [sathien] upon his retirement next month.

In his rebuttal, Sukumpol said Sathien had jumped to a wrong conclusion since he had not finalised his decision. Whether Army assistant chief General Tanongsak Apirakyotin will be the next permanent secretary would hinge on the collective decision of the ministerial panel on job assignments, he said, pointing out he has just one vote in the seven-member panel.

He also said Sathien had portrayed him erroneously as meddling in the military rotations since he had no chance of seeing the proposed nominations submitted by the armed forces.

Commenting on the Sukumpol-Sathien row, Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha said Sathien was still permanent secretary because his reassignment did not impact on his position.

Yuthasak said he ruled out the row having an impact on government stability or causing a confrontation with the military. The sour working relationship between the minister and his permanent secretary was strictly a private matter within the Defence Ministry, he said.

What happened to Sathien was not a transfer or a removal but a secondment, he said.

If deemed necessary, Sukumpol should convene the Defence Council to dispel any lingering doubts among military commanders, he said.

Opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanavisit said the opposition would tomorrow query the government about the row during the question and answer session in the House.

Jurin said the query would be addressed to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who is in charge of all government affairs. The reason the opposition will not address Sukumpol is because he is directly involved in the row, he said.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva voiced concern that the government might be trying to meddle with military job assignments.

Abhisit said he did not understand why Sukumpol was trying to stir up a climate of disarray similar to what happened in the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

The military line-up should be based on professional merits instead of catering to the whims of politicians, he said.

Political meddling is not about serving and implementing government policies but making arbitrary choices on job candidates, he added.

-- The Nation 2012-08-29

[clockman]

What i would like to know, is why Thailand needs 300 generals?

[OzMick]

"Jurin said the query would be addressed to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra................"

...........who will manage not to be in parliament, as usual.

[jerrysteve]

OBVIOULSY he didn't use the toilet when he took a leak...Thats what he gets for being too cheap to spend 3 baht.

[SICHONSTEVE]

"Jurin said the query would be addressed to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who is in charge of all government affairs".

Since when????.......and I'm Andre Agassi's hair dresser.