SPOTLIGHT
The Administrative Court moves to its new home today, with a record for setting things right
Onnucha Hutasingh
The statue of King Chulalongkorn in front of the reception building. |
For more than seven years, the Administrative Court has been helping to balance society by buoying up the right and bringing down the wrong.
From its historic order against the unlawful privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) in 2006 - a verdict which included a demand that PTT Plc return its assets to the public in 2007 - to its recent injunction against the joint communique between Thailand and Cambodia on the listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site, the court has shown it does have teeth.
Despite a cold response from Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who has raised questions over the scope of the court's authority, the judges say it will go on ensuring that justice is done.
"It's like we're making plenty of merit for people every day," Supreme Administrative Court president Ackaratorn Chularat said.
The court had an unyielding position against injustice, he added.
The main building of the Administrative Court in Chang Wattana compound. |
One of the new courtrooms. |
Today the court moves into its new home.
The court now has its own buildings and compound on Chang Wattana road, having been housed on the 37th floor of a skyscraper - the Empire Building - since March 9, 2001.
Some were reluctant to file petitions at the court's old offices in the Empire Building, which is mostly occupied by private companies.
The new court building has a different atmosphere - it feels like a real court.
Off the crowded Chang Wattana road in a northern suburb of Bangkok, the new court's two buildings and the compound cover 12 rai. The 11-storey front building serves as the court office and includes a number of rooms where trials will be held. Behind the main building is a smaller but more attractive white building, built to serve as the court's formal reception area.
Inside the colonial-style building is an elegant living room. It imitates the Somutidevaraja-upabat Throne Hall, which has been demolished. The original throne hall served as an office of the Council of State, an adviser to the monarch, in the reign of King Rama V in 1874.
In front of the building stands a monument to King Chulalongkorn, who played a major role in supporting the development of Thai legal systems.
The Administrative Court was established to handle disputes between government officials and the public. Until April this year, its lower court had dealt with 14,479 cases, while the Supreme Administrative Court had handled 7,314 cases.
More people now trust the court as a legal means of seeking justice. Every month people file between 150 and 200 petitions with the court.
"I hope the court can keep up its outstanding work," said Saree Ongsomwang, the manager of the Foundation for Consumers, which won legal battles against Egat and PTT Plc.
The court's verdict on the Preah Vihear issue also made headlines in every Thai newspaper. Mr Samak, whose cabinet supported the joint communique, felt uneasy with the court's injunction and complained that his government would find it difficult to work because it could be stopped by the judges.
Mr Ackaratorn said the court carefully considers every case and always abides by the scope of its authority.
"No one can do things which are not allowed by the constitution," he said.
The court is not recognised only for its verdicts on national issues. The judges give equal importance to smaller cases.
One example was when a villager accused a state hospital of unfairly charging him medical fees. He said he should have paid 30 baht, but the hospital demanded 50 baht. The court ordered the hospital to refund the man the 20 baht.
Mr Ackaratorn admitted the court used personnel and time in this case, which cost the court more than 20 baht.
But the court needed to set an acceptable standard for all hospitals, he said.
"What would happen if one million people are charged 20 baht more by hospitals?" Mr Ackaratorn said.
People can be sure of their rights with the Administrative Court in place, no matter where it is located.
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