Call for change to DSI set-up to stop political interference

[webfact]

Call for change to DSI set-up to stop political interference
Opas Boonlom
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A former deputy chief of the Department for Special Investigation proposed that the DSI chief be endorsed by the Senate - not appointed by the government - to prevent political interference.

Pol Col Yannapol Yangyuen said the DSI chief should have a fixed term of four years and must not be moved before he completes his tenure.

"I must say that the DSI has been interfered with by politicians who sent their men to key positions in the agency," he said.

Yannapol said politicians also interfered in the works of the DSI by asking to proceed or not to proceed with certain cases for political motives.

He recommended that the DSI Act be amended so the opposition leader can sit on the DSI board as a check-and-balance mechanism, because the board could opt with two thirds of votes on whether to proceed with a particular case or not.


-- The Nation 2013-10-09

[chainarong]

This is a step in the right direction, however being Thailand , there would be political interference with the appointment long before the person reached DSI status , these personal are got at right from police school onwards , so that they are in bed with someone or other long before they reach rank status, they are cloned long before the event.

[NongKhaiKid]

These comments can be applied to every institution in the country and no matter how sensible and desireable the changes may be they won't happen as politicians will never give up their right to influence if not actually control what happens.

[smedly]

I have to admire the man for having the balls to speak up and expose an already well known and obvious situation that has been mentioned many times on here

It identifies the general problem of political interference of supposedly independent agencies

The Attorney Generals office is another one that comes to mind

If this government gets it way there are many more to follow including the courts and the judicial system which is the very backbone of any democracy and needs to remain beyond political influence

Appointments to the DSI and AG should come from the Judicial system and not the government or senate

anyone with an ounce of sense knows exactly what this governments agenda is

Edited October 9, 2013 by smedly

[smedly]

These comments can be applied to every institution in the country and no matter how sensible and desireable the changes may be they won't happen as politicians will never give up their right to influence if not actually control what happens.

yes and as long as that happens then Thailand will never have a democracy - it doesn't matter who voted for what in elections if the fundamentals aren't there and the sooner the people realise that the better - there is no democracy here plain and simple, the sooner they get that the better

[Tatsujin]

I have to admire the man for having the balls to speak up and expose an already well known and obvious situation that has been mentioned many times on here

It identifies the general problem of political interference of supposedly independent agencies

The Attorney Generals office is another one that comes to mind

If this government gets it way there are many more to follow including the courts and the judicial system which is the very backbone of any democracy and needs to remain beyond political influence

Appointments to the DSI and AG should come from the Judicial system and not the government or senate

anyone with an ounce of sense knows exactly what this governments agenda is

Unfortunately, it seems that those with some sense aren't those that can actually vote (i.e. us). It's Thailand, wave a few hundred baht at someone and you've got their vote. Most don't even know (or care it seems) about "Democracy". They just want their chance to get their tiny little piece of the pie.

[waza]

Great idea, but an independant Judiciary applying the Rule of Law, that sounds like the foundations of a democrac, it will never happen. Not after the Red insurrection of 2009 and 2010 against a democratically elected government and the present administrations agenda of removing all checks and balances to the piont of rewriting the constitution.

[khunken]

A police colonel with a sensible suggestion - bravo.

Won't go down too well with Thaksin's agenda unfortunately.

[waza]

A police colonel with a sensible suggestion - bravo.

Won't go down too well with Thaksin's agenda unfortunately.

Looks like someone will be promoted to an inactive position.