Decision on ex-NSC chief's transfer expected next month
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The civil service court will hand down its decision in a month after hearing on Friday testimony that the government has no justification in transferring a top security official.
Tawin Pleansri gave his damning statement to the Merit System Protection Commission, charging Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra with tampering with meritocracy by removing him from the position of National Security Council chief to pave the way for naming her favourite as the national police chief.
Last year, the Cabinet approved the transfer of Tawin to an inactive advisory position at Government House. The then national police chief General Wichean Potephosree was then moved to the NSC. Wichean was subsequently replaced by General Prewpan Damapong, an inlaw of exPM Thaksin Shinawatra.
“I have testified that the prime minister did not act in accordance with the merit system as sanctioned by the Constitution and the Civil Service Regulations,” Tawin said.
He said Yingluck wanted to dispense favours in naming the national police chief, hence targetting him for an unjustified transfer for the sake of political expediency, classified under relevant provisions as a gross violation of the merit system.
He further stated that Yingluck had cited a number of false reasons in an attempt to justify his new assignment to the advisory position.
One such reason was that the transfer would reassign him from an executive to a policymaking position, he said, pointing out that his present job had nothing to do with any policies but required him to address administrative complaints and give advice if sought.
“For the past five months, I have been tasked with small jobs not on par with my pay grade and job experience,” he said.
He said he hoped his fight would help to restore the meritocracy and deter the government from showing favouritism.
He vowed to fight to the fullest extent of the law. Should he fail to win a reinstatement, he will still have the option to plead his case in the administrative court, he said.
The commission was previously scheduled to rule within this week. The deadline was extended to next month after the government cited the flood crisis as grounds for seeking more time to file a rebuttal.
