Reshuffle 'not because of preah vihear'

The surprise reshuffle at the Foreign Ministry that kicked legal expert Virachai Plasai, director-general for Treaties and Legal Affairs, to an inactive post has nothing to do with the Preah

Vihear conflict but the CTX bomb-detector scandal, ministry sources said.

Virachai refused to hand a copy of a CTX-related document to politicians who wanted it to help former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is to be charged in the corruption scandal.

The copy has been in Virachai's possession since the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) asked the department to translate it from English into Thai for the corruption case against Thaksin and former key Cabinet members including former transport minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit.

The AEC will make its final decision on the CTX case next Monday to indict politicians, senior officials and businessmen of corruption

over the purchase of the bomb detectors to be installed at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thaksin and his associates need the related document to prepare for their defence in court.

Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama had earlier told reporters political motivation was not the reason to remove Virachai from the directorate position and make him ambassador attached to the ministry - a position regarded as an inactive post.

Noppadon said he wanted to put the right person in the right job, but did not clarify why Virachai, a law graduate no longer fit the job.

Virachai was sacked while handling the conflict over Preah Vihear temple with Cambodia. The case required a legal expert who has

solid background in law, notably French law, which is a legal

fundamental of the case in which Virachai graduated, the ministry source said.

Thailand has been in conflict with Cambodia as Bangkok has opposed a proposal to list the Hindu temple as a world heritage site without a settlement of the claim on overlapping areas. Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia but the overlapping area below the temple is claimed by both sides.

 Noppadon moved Krit Kraichitti from the Economic Affairs Department to replace Virachai. Krit was a former director of the legal affairs department.