Personal letter praises department chief

MANOP THIP-OSOD & THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL

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.