‘No conflict’ with NLA despite rejection of court’s EC candidates

The court has maintained that it properly fulfilled its task choosing two candidates in line with the law.
Judges do not bring personal feelings to their work, Court of Justice spokesman Suriyan Hongwilai said yesterday.
The comment came in response to speculation that tension between the two bodies might arise after news circulated that the NLA’s rejection of the candidates was partly due to the Supreme Court’s controversial selection process for its two candidates.
But Suriyan said that all parties had done their best.
“On the Supreme Court’s part, [they] will proceed in accordance with the law,” he said.
The Election Commission (EC) organic bill set out that the EC would comprise seven members. Five were to be selected by a selection committee while the remaining two were to be picked by a meeting of the Supreme Court.
After last week’s rejection of all candidates, the NLA had to submit a letter to the Court notifying it of the vote results and calling for it to begin the selection process again.
Suriyan said the Supreme Court president would call for all 176 of its judges to convene to choose new candidates.
It's not yet clear whether the court would follow the same process or issue a new selection regulation, Suriyan said.
In a related development, NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, also part of the selection committee, admitted the new round of recruitment could be more challenging as candidates might be thinking hard about their qualifications after the previous candidates were turned down.
The seven-day period of application may have to be extended so candidates could be fully prepared, he said.
The committee would also work more pro-actively in advertising the positions and the qualifications required so to inform people and draw more applicants, he said. 
The committee has 90 days to screen the candidates, Pornpetch explained. But it would try to expedite the work so not to waste any more time, he said.
The fact that an EC member would retire soon also prompted the expediting, he said. 
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva urged concerned parties to look into the problem and help fix the way the court picks its candidates. He said the “open” nature of the vote may have affected the outcome. 
The EC, meanwhile, is also looking for a new secretary-general in addition to commissioners because the previous one has retired. At least five people have applied for the vacancy. Among them are Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, a current EC member, and Tawatchai Thaikhieo, the deputy justice permanent secretary.