The Judicial Commission has voted unanimously against the appointment of Sirichai Wattanayothin as head of the country’s judicial branch in the first-ever challenge of the long-held seniority tradition. At its meeting on Monday, the commission considered the promotion of Mr Sirichai, president of the Appeal Court, to be the 44th president of the Supreme Court starting Oct 1. Traditionally, the presidents of the Supreme Court are those who scored the highest in the assistant judge entrance examinations, which make them the most senior among their peers. The Judicial Commission consists of 15 members, with the president of the Supreme Court acting as the chairman. Twelve of the members are judges who elect among themselves -- six from the Supreme Court, four from the Appeal Court and two from the Court of First Instance.

Source: Bangkok Post July 03, 2017 11:48 UTC