Sukumpol defends secondments of three officials in House debate
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Defence Minister ACM Sukumpol Suwannathat Thursday told the House that he had acted within his authority to second the permanent secretary for Defence and two other senior officials to inactive positions.
Answering a motion of Democrat MP Witthaya Kaewparadai, Sukumpol said the three official were seconded to the Office of the Defence Minister because they have leaked a confidential matter of the job assignments vetting panel of the ministry although the panel has not yet made a final decision yet.
On Monday, Sukumpol ordered the abrupt secondments of Permanent Secretary for Defence Sathien Permthong-in, Deputy Permanent Secretary Chatree Tatti, and General Pinphat Siriwat, director of the Defence Secretariat.
In the motion, Witthaya asked Sukumpol which law the minister invoked to second the three and why he did it. Witthaya also asked how many more military officers would be seconded to the Defence Minister’s Office.
Sukumpol replied that the defence minister was empowered by the Defence Minister Administration Act of B.E. 2551 to second senior military officials to his office. He said the secondments of the three were not transfers and they remained in their positions.
The Nation
