• 
• 

Published on March 4, 2008

Reporting for duty at the PM's Office Ministry yesterday, ousted police chief Seripisut Temiyavej remained defiant and outspoken when asked about the reasons given for his transfer to a civilian post.

Citing one of the three reasons used to justify his transfer - that he regularly called his subordinates "buffalo" when they made a mistake - Seripisut said it was normal for a superior to criticise his subordinates.

"It is my personal character to use such a word. My men even loved being called a buffalo. They're happy to be called that, for if I stayed silent [over a mistake] they would worry that they might face a harsher penalty," he said.

Asked whether "buffalo" was an appropriate word to use with his staff, Seripisut said it was.

"And it was also appropriate for you reporters to be slammed a lot by the prime minister?" he added.

Seripisut declined to comment on whether the reasons for his transfer were justifiable. But he said it was not a serious offence for a superior to call his staff names when they made a mistake.

He said he could have gathered together a mob of supporters to protest against his transfer.

"A lot of my men would come out here if I blew a whistle, but I won't do it. I don't want to see the country plunging into chaos."

Asked about a deal worth more than Bt10 billion for the police to rent a large number of vehicles that was mentioned in his transfer, Seripisut the deal was approved by a former prime minister and had been checked by various government agencies.

The Nation