Judge vows legal action if he is transferred as adviser

[webfact]

Judge vows legal action if he is transferred as adviser

By The Nation

 

Appeals Court president Sirichai Wattanayothin

 

BANGKOK: -- Appeals Court president Sirichai Wattanayothin on Wednesday threatened to take legal action if he is removed from his current post to fill the position created by the Judicial Commission as adviser to the Supreme Court president.

“According to custom, candidates failing to get nominated as Supreme Court president remain in their existing positions. That was what had happened in the past,” he told a tense press conference at the Appeals Court.

 

“I could be the first person to be moved,” he said.

 

Sirichai had failed to get nominated by the Judicial Commission even though he was the most senior candidate. 

 

The commission backed the next most senior candidate, Supreme Court vice president Cheep Jullamon, for the top job at the country’s highest court. 

 

The panel gave no reason for its decision to overlook Sirichai, but a source from the nominating committee said he was deemed as lacking qualifications and not performing to expectations.

 

Sirichai said that he did not think it was lawful to appoint him an adviser to the Supreme Court president.

 

“What I can do is to take legal action,” he said, struggling with his emotions.

 

The senior judge said he was not worried when the Judicial Commission set up a fact-finding committee to investigate him. 

 

He had done his duty honestly and with devotion over the past four decades of his career.

 

With a shaky voice, he said that had never thought of resigning. 

 

“I have worked as a judge for 40 years and I still love this organisation.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30320592

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-13

[Chris Lawrence]

"an inspection of assets of the persons holding political positions and state officials is important for political transparency which essentially prevents corruption among all levels of government. Subsequently, if government manages to keep transparent, it will not only lead to democracy but also promote trust and political participation among its citizens." 2014 seminar on Inspection of Assets of the Persons Holding Political Positions and State Officials.

 

One of the reasons behind the withdrawal of his nomination was reported to be his decision to refer a drugs case, which reached the Court of Appeal, for second and third opinions, as though he was attempting to secure an opinion he would find agreeable.

 

The seminar on such acts may have had an influence. Who in the present lot want their assets paraded in public.

 

Other then that I couldn't find too much more on the Judge. However there are a lot of precedents in Thai Government and Law and Culture, prove not to be the best for the Nation.

[colinneil]

Was deemed lacking qualifications and not performing to expectations.

In plain language, he probably bought his position, and was too lazy/unskilled to carry out his duties properly.

[greenchair]

The man has been a judge for 40 years and all they could dig up on him, is he referred a case that he was not sure about for second and third opinions. 

He seems like a good and honest man. 

Maybe that's why he did not get the new position. 

 

[inThailand]

Just do the norm, move him to an inactive post and continue paying him. 

 

I wonder if some actually prefer to be transferred to an inactive post? No work and get paid sounds like windfall.

 

What percent of government workers are in an inactive post? 60%?

[SABloke]

So they didn't make him the Supreme Court president, but have asked him to be an adviser to the new president. Ouch. So he's more embarrassed by the loss of face I suspect. Is he a good and honest man? No, because knowingly being part of such an unjust system for 40 years means he's somewhere along the line been involved in or turned a blind eye to some form of corruption and a judge should be beyond reproach. Judges are the same as Policemen: "There are some good ones" pffft 

[LannaGuy]

Why should he have the 'right' to a job?  just because he is the most 'senior'?  he has obviously upset 'someone' as it's all patronage here 

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“I have worked as a judge for 40 years and I still love this organisation.”

I bet you do

[little mary sunshine]

From all the reads here...He might be to 

Honest for the position!    40+ years,

retire and enjoy  life!!

[zaphod reborn]

3 hours ago, greenchair said:

The man has been a judge for 40 years and all they could dig up on him, is he referred a case that he was not sure about for second and third opinions. 

He seems like a good and honest man. 

Maybe that's why he did not get the new position. 

 

Maybe Thailand is starting to move away from the Asian tradition of the importance of seniority in making employment decisions?  I've been in HR for 10 years here, and am amazed at the fact that Thais won't accept a younger person as their superior in the workplace.

[ben2talk]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

Was deemed lacking qualifications and not performing to expectations.

In plain language, he probably bought his position, and was too lazy/unskilled to carry out his duties properly.

Lolz - supported by his complaint "Sirichai had failed to get nominated by the Judicial Commission even though he was the most senior candidate." meaning simply that being the most senior automatically leads to nomination.

[Cadbury]

3 hours ago, greenchair said:

The man has been a judge for 40 years and all they could dig up on him, is he referred a case that he was not sure about for second and third opinions. 

He seems like a good and honest man. 

Maybe that's why he did not get the new position. 

 

In Thailand it seems demonstrations of honesty and integrity on one's CV can be a disadvantage when it comes to promotion or job application. For obvious reasons the boys at the top prefer candidates of their own shady genre. 

[greenchair]

7 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

Maybe Thailand is starting to move away from the Asian tradition of the importance of seniority in making employment decisions?  I've been in HR for 10 years here, and am amazed at the fact that Thais won't accept a younger person as their superior in the workplace.

I accept that you should not get the job just because you are there the longest, though this does occur a lot in most countries also. especially in the judicial area .

But there has to be a fair reason. Their reason that he referred a case for a second opinion is pathetic. 

They also should give reason for the choice of the other judge being better suited than him. 

The man has a record of being a good honest and fair judge. 

The decision to defer a case for other opinions shows integrity. Is it possible he was being pressured to rule in a certain way and someone didn't like it? ????

No, this is not the correct way to do things. I disagree with you. 

[observer90210]

If he is penalised due to lack of expertise, so be it. I

 

f he is penalized because of his honesty and integrity that makes some powerful people scared, he should fight bac, give out compromising information to the press on all the rackets going on, on which he is surely more then aware.