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"All officials siding with the military fascist must be transferred," said Weng Tojirakarn, a leading anticoup activist and supporter of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

"I think [the transfers] is just. Anyone who serves dictators deserves to be transferred."

The symposium was held after some media quarters raised concerns about the speed and scale of transfer orders made by the Samak Sundaravej government.

They included the transfer of police chief Seripisut Taemeyavej, Department of Special Investigation director General Sunai Manomaiudom and director general of the Public Relations Department Pramoj Ratvinij.

Former speaker of the Office of the National Police Pol Gen Achiravij Sunwanpetch, who had worked under the Thaksin administration said as many as 300 senior and middle ranking officials and soldiers were transferred by the military junta after the coup.

Achiravij added that another 100 state enterprise staff was transferred as well.

Calling transfers of officials "normal" Achiravij echoed PM Samak's stance that the media then made no noise about it.

"After the coup, what took place was finger pointing at officials saying this person is Thaksin's man, on and on."

He placed part of the blame on senior officials who he described as mostly greedy. He admitted, however, that it was almost impossible to find a nonpoliticised senior bureaucrats as most of them had vied for top posts by being close to politicians and those in power.

"This is the most common type of official," he said, adding many of them are apt at projecting a good image through the media but not competent workers.

Thammasat University sociologist and Thaksin supporter Voraphon Phromikabutr said any officials who felt they were unfairly transferred can petition the Administrative Court and even fight all the way through the Supreme Court.

Voraphon said he also fought a legal battle soon after the coup when Thammasat University filed a disciplinary investigation against him after he became vocal about the coup and supported the ousted premier.

He said top officials are so hungry for power than they're willing to go out of their way to serve whoever is in power. They are worse than a "cobra", he said.

by Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation