The Office of the Judiciary has ordered the chief of the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, Region 8, to explain an incident in which he was filmed refusing to show his driving licence to police officers at a road checkpoint in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
A source at the ministry of justice told the Bangkok Post that Sarawut Benjakul, secretary-general of the Office of the Judiciary, signed an order on Friday demanding Mr Krairat Veerapatanasuwan, the judge seen in the video, to explain himself.
The source said the internal probe is to be conducted and the result will be forwarded to the judicial commission and the president of Supreme Court.
The commission will meet tomorrow and this case is likely to be discussed, said the source.
The move came after the video clip went viral and Mr Krairat's conduct was widely condemned.
Mr Krairat was shown announcing that he was a regional chief justice and friend of Pol Col Chokdee Rakwatanapong, chief of Thung Yai police station, after being stopped by traffic police on the night of May 2.
Mr Krairat was let go from the checkpoint without having to show his driving licence, according to the clip.
The lance corporal who asked the judge to show his licence was subsequently transferred to serve as a driver for his superior, Pol Col Chokdee.
However, the lance corporal was reinstated after the case gained public attention.
Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Thakon Netphukkana, Nakhon Si Thammarat police chief, will form a panel to look into the affair.
A police source said judicial authorities need to make it clear how they would deal with Mr Krairat and prevent the controversy from snowballing into a crisis of faith in justice personnel.
