Former top judge Hassavut passes away

His bathing rite is scheduled for Saturday from 5pm at Wat Debsirin, where a religious ceremony will also be held, according to his family.

The former top judge was removed from his post last year by the court’s judicial commission for committing malfeasance by allegedly seeking the promotion of a police officer who reportedly was a close friend of his nephew. 

Hassavut denied instructing the court’s secretary-general to write notes to senior police commanders on his behalf. He said that after learning about what the official had done, he had rebuked him and set up a fact-finding committee to look into the matter.

Born in July 1948, Hassavut graduated from Thammasat University’s faculty of law and he later became a deputy dean at the faculty. He also graduated from the Thai bar and the University of Vienna in Austria.

In 2000, he was appointed as a judge at the Administrative Court and in October 2008 he became chief justice at the Supreme Administrative Court. In October 2011, Hassavut was appointed by royal command to become president of the Supreme Administrative Court after the retirement of his predecessor, Ackaratorn Chularat.