Lady Justice is often depicted wearing a blindfold to symbolise objectivity, but to Dusadee Arayawuthi, the former Public Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) secretary-general, it might have another meaning altogether.
Dusadee: Under investigation
Being a whistle-blower in the Thai bureaucracy often comes at a cost and Pol Col Dusadee, now a deputy justice permanent secretary, is learning this the hard way.
Before Pol Col Dusadee was shifted to the post of deputy permanent secretary, he is believed to have obtained damning evidence in several highly-publicised cases including the import of contraband luxury vehicles.
He vowed to pursue the cases and this is suspected to have been the motivation for his unexpected transfer to a higher post _ but one with limited power.
Justice Minister Pracha Promnok kept a straight face when he defended the transfer, calling it a promotion for Pol Col Dusadee.
The minister also promised to entrust Pol Col Dusadee with the key role of supervising agencies with plenty of action such as the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.
But the minister's words rang hollow as Pol Col Dusadee waited for responsibilities that never came, according to a ministry source.
Pol Col Dusadee now might find himself in an even worse predicament after a letter was sent from Government House to Pol Gen Pracha requesting a probe be conducted into an alleged illegal transfer of 16 billion baht from Thailand to Hong Kong _ reputedly money siphoned off from the government's massive flood prevention programme.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has quizzed Pol Col Dusadee over the matter following Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit's complaint that the allegation was fabricated by the opposition to undermine the government.
Pol Col Dusadee claimed to have information about the illegal money transfer, which was first raised by Mongkolkit Suksin-tharanon, the Nation Associate Anti-Corruption Network secretary-general.
The Justice Ministry has named a panel, headed by another justice permanent secretary, Charnchao Chaiyanukij, to investigate Pol Col Dusadee.
A source believes concerns might be raised over whether Pol Col Dusadee has been able to verify the authenticity of the allegation.
The source said Pol Col Dusadee is in the hot seat, possibly because he refused to let go of the luxury car probe which involves influential figures while he was at the helm of the PACC.
The source added the order for Pol Col Dusadee to be scrutinised came from an influential government insider and political observers have bet on the luxury car probe ending in a farce.
Also in trouble is Sanchai Engtrakul, son of former Customs Department chief Somjainuek Engtrakul. He was on secondment from the Department of Special Investigation to assist Pol Col Dusadee in the luxury car import case.
Mr Sanchai has been transferred to a DSI office in Hat Yai district of Songkhla after a meeting with Pol Gen Pracha.
Critics concerned about police chief
The national police chief may have put himself in the firing line for being a puppet of the government after he proposed that the internal security law be invoked to control the planned Pitak Siam mass rally at the Royal Plaza on Nov 24.
Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew has said the law, enacted in 2008, would help to streamline crowd control procedures and provide a legal safety net for security personnel in case the police are involved in any clashes with protesters who join the rally.
Adul: Allegiance questioned
Government sources said the Pitak Siam group is a loosely formed alliance without a clear, sustained leadership _ although the movement is headed by Boonlert Kaewprasit, a retired general.
Since the group does not look to be systematically managed, there is a danger Pitak Siam will not be able to keep everything in order if the crowd becomes uncontrollable in the event emotions run high.
The sources said Pol Gen Adul suggested the invocation of the internal security law in a bid to protect his riot squads.
The police have learned from experience to shield themselves _ literally _ from any backlash as well as legally in their handling of protesting crowds.
They have vowed not to repeat what their opponents say were grave mistakes when confronting yellow-shirt protesters on Oct 7, 2008.
During their dispersal of protesters on that day, a total of 261 demonstrators were injured and one person was killed.
The protesters were attempting to prevent the then prime minister Somchai Wongsawat from delivering his policy statement to parliament.
The People's Alliance for Democracy said the police must be held responsible for the Oct 7 bloodshed.
The Central Administrative Court earlier ordered the government to compensate those injured in the 2008 dispersal of the yellow shirts.
Pol Gen Adul then instructed the police force's lawyers to appeal the court's order. The 32-million-baht payout is to be jointly borne by the Royal Thai Police Office (RTPO) and the PM's Office.
By advocating the enforcement of the internal security law for the planned Pitak Siam rally, Pol Gen Adul has shown himself to be mindful of the legal repercussions that may arise.
But he is also making it look as though he and the police force are submissive to the government which is constantly criticised by its opponents as being the remnants of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's rule.
This impression has come about as it has been observed that the RTPO did not propose the imposition of the internal security law in preparation for previous incidents of potential civil unrest.
Commentators have made reference to the political violence on the streets in 2009 and 2010. Before the clashes between the authorities and the red-shirt protesters in the tumultuous periods under the Abhisit Vejjajiva government, the RTPO did not suggest the invocation of the law to keep peace and order.
But now that the pro-Thaksin government is in power, the police chief has asked for the law to be enforced, said a political source.
Jatuporn urges govt caution
Jatuporn Prompan is no longer a Pheu Thai MP but that is not stopping him from expressing concern for the ruling party's future.
He has urged the party to be cautious, saying it must take care to manoeuvre itself away from the political landmines strewn across its path if it is to serve out its four-year term.
Jatuporn: Forget reconciliation bills
The red-shirt co-leader maintains the government has no choice but to do whatever it can to avoid a direct collision with anti-government protesters.
A clash between protest groups could be a recipe for disaster for the government as it could invoke military intervention to restore order.
That scenario is dreaded by everyone in the government as it could spell the beginning of the end for the administration, according to Mr Jatuporn.
Mr Jatuporn, who missed out on a ministerial appointment despite speculation he was a certainty to be in the cabinet, said his concern now was how the government proposed to deal with the contentious charter amendment bill, which has been held up in the third and final reading stage in parliament.
The amendment bill is mired in controversy as opponents believe the government's attempt to amend the charter is aimed at helping Pheu Thai backer and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The new charter could remove Section 309 of the 2007 constitution, which protects those who brought about the Sept 19, 2006 coup, which toppled Thaksin, from prosecution and legitimised their abuse-of-power investigations against the fugitive ex-premier.
Mr Jatuporn said a clause in the amendment which seeks to revert the rules to the pre-coup days could provoke resistance from the government's opponents and send political tensions through the roof.
But what Mr Jatuporn feels is most perilous to the government are the draft bills on national reconciliation.
Four bills on reconciliation were on parliament's agenda, waiting to be accepted for debate. They will be combined into one bill during the scrutiny stage.
The opposition Democrat Party has long argued the bills, proposed by pro-government individuals, are financially motivated. Their passage could lead to 46 billion baht in seized assets being returned to Thaksin, according to the Democrats.
In early 2010, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions found Thaksin to be ''unusually rich'' and confiscated about 46 billion baht of his assets.
In Mr Jatuporn's view, the government should halt, if not withdraw, the unity bills and not become bothered by calls to re-submit them later when the political temperature has cooled.
Raising the reconciliation bills now or in the future would not make a speck of difference, he says, since doing so could turn into a catalyst for the government's demise.
Pheu Thai members are split over who should get amnesty under the bill. He and other red shirts agree this issue does not make for a constructive debate.
Mr Jatuporn insists that if an amnesty is offered, only the protesters who took part in political rallies should benefit. No protest leaders on either side of the colour divide should be exonerated.
He says the reconciliation bills were tabled in haste and that has now ruined the prospect of the charter amendment bill clearing its third reading as critics see them as catering to the self-interest of one man.
Mr Jatuporn attributed the blunder to a power-hungry element who lobbied to have the reconciliation bills tabled in parliament.
It was an ill-timed rushing of the unity bills and it now seems certain the government has zero chance of passing reconciliation into law, Mr Jatuporn said.