Assistant headman quits over Feb 30 date of birth

The assistant village headman at the centre of a controversy over his birthday being incorrectly registered as February 30 has resigned.

Sangwian Kuncharoen, assistant chief of Moo 3 of Tambon Klong Thapchan in Sa Keaw's Aryanyaprathet district, sent his letter of resignation yesterday morning, said Viroj Aksorndee, senior assistant district chief officer of Aranyaprathet.

Viroj said Sangwian decided to voluntarily resign because he had brought disrepute to the Interior Ministry after he joked in media reports about the incorrect February 30 birthday on his ID card. Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan had issued a severe reprimand to Sangwian after the assistant headman had made light of the matter.

According to Viroj, Sangwian admitted that he made a mistake by not correcting his birth date on his home registration and ID card.

However, he said he didn't want to change it because it would also affect his parents' home registration.

Now that Sangwian has resigned, Viroj said it was no longer necessary to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate the matter.

Reporters tried to contact Sangwian for further comments |yesterday, but his phone was turned |

off and his house was locked.

A neighbour said Sangwian resigned under pressure from the provincial and district officials, and that he stepped down to avoid further investigation.

Sa Kaew Governor Pakatorn Tienchai said he commanded the Aryanyaprathet registrar to change Sangwian's birthdate from the non-existent February 30 to February 1. In accordance with regulations, if a person's exact birthday is not known, his or her date of birth shall be registered as the first day of the same month.