Strange transfer of Thailand's Preah Vihear Chief negotiator

Personal letter praises department chief

Friday May 09, 2008
MANOP THIP-OSOD THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

Foreign affairs permanent secretary Virasakdi Futrakul has circulated a letter in the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department praising its chief Virachai Plasai, who has been transferred to an inactive post. In the hand-written letter to officials in the treaties department, Mr Virasakdi praised Mr Virachai's conviction to principles, his integrity and his outstanding performance.

He said it had been an honour to work with Mr Virachai, especially in the border negotiations with Laos and Cambodia.

Mr Virachai has been shifted to the inactive post of an ambassador attached to the ministry.

Some reports say the Foreign Affairs Ministry was unhappy with Mr Virachai's role in the dispute with Phnom Penh over the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama denied the transfer was politically motivated and said he would take full responsibility for the decision to move Mr Virachai.

Speaking from Japan yesterday, Mr Noppadon declined to comment on the reasons behind the transfer.

The minister, however, said he would like to see what the Preah Vihear negotiators had done, which may result in Thailand being committed to too many obligations.

Mr Virasakdi described Mr Virachai as a diplomat of exceptional calibre who had played a vital role in protecting national interests.

''All officials in the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department should see Mr Virachai as a role model who has served the country to the best of his ability,'' the permanent secretary said.

The Democrat party, meanwhile, has dismissed the transfer as politically motivated.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Mr Virachai was moved because he refused Mr Noppadon's demand that he be shown classified documents related to the CTX bomb scanner case.

Mr Virachai supervised the translation of some CTX documents at the request of the Assets Scrutiny Committee, which has been investigating alleged corruption in the Thaksin Shinawatra government. He would investigate whether Mr Noppadol had abused his power by transferring him.

Dept head pushed out for protecting CTX documents - Lightning transfer hits talks on Preah Vihear

Thursday May 08, 2008
Bangkok Post REPORTERS

The lightning transfer of Virachai Plasai, chief of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department and a chief negotiator in the Preah Vihear row with Cambodia, is related to his role in the CTX bomb scanners investigation, not his handling of the temple dispute, sources at the ministry said. Mr Virachai was said to have refused a demand by certain politicians who wanted to see classified documents in the CTX case, unless they provided a written request since the documents would be used in court.

As head of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department, he supervised the translation for some CTX documents at the request of the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC).

The ASC is to conclude the case, which implicated former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, former transport minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit and 20 other officials in alleged graft, on Monday.

The sources said the reaction of Mr Virachai to the politicians' demands was in line with state regulations on the handling of classified documents, which requires transparency.

The transfer of Mr Virachai to an inactive post, which took immediate effect, is believed to have dealt a blow to the negotiations on Preah Vihear with Cambodia, they said.

The transfer also caused a stir at the ministry. Mr Virachai had gained the respect of officials who regarded him as knowledgeable on the Preah Vihear issue.

Mr Virachai is a legal official who has expertise in both French language and law. He earned a doctorate in law from France.

His proficiency in French gave him an advantage as a negotiator with Cambodia since many documents are written in French. He was on his way to Cambodia with permanent secretary Virasakdi Futrakul on Tuesday to discuss the Preah Vihear issue with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.

The abrupt transfer contradicted a statement by Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama who had dismissed speculation that he would carry out a mid-term reshuffle at the ministry, saying that he planned to do it in October when more than 10 ambassadors were due to retire. Mr Noppadon was unavailable for comment yesterday.