Sacked Pailin health official in limbo after unfructuous hearing

THE sub-national commission on conflict reconciliation and public function affairs announced that the case in which the Pailin provincial governor dismissed a health department official could not be addressed as both sides took a different stance.

On the orders of the Ministry of Civil Service, the provincial administration on April 2 set up the commission to address the grievances of Khem Monykosal, who was dismissed for Facebook posts critical of negligence he encountered at a quarantine centre.

The commission has seven members headed by provincial governor Ban Sreymom.

In a letter to Monykosal on May 24, the commission said the dispute could not be resolved as both parties took a different position and did not accept each other’s request.

“During the hearing, the commission concluded that the two sides could not reconcile,” according to the letter.

Sreymom on May 23 said the provincial administration’s dismissal decision was irreversible.

“We are all professionals, but we should not abuse our profession. However, he still has a right to file a complaint,” she said.

Monykosal told The Post on May 25 that he could not accept the provincial admistration’s decision or the commission’s conclusion and would appeal to the ministry.

“There was no resolution. Although I softened my stance, some of her [Sreymom’s] accusations were incorrect. I was accused of not being a member on the Covid-19 response team but both the health department director and a provincial deputy governor recognised me,” he said.

Monykosal was dismissed on March 19 after posting a message on Facebook regarding issues at Covid-19 quarantine centres which allegedly incited discontent and disrupted internal unity.

Prior to the dismissal, he had posted a number of messages and pictures related to a Pailin quarantine centre prior to the dismissal.

His latest Facebook post said a female medical staff member at the provincial referral hospital had food packages thrown in her face by people who were in quarantine there and that the standby medical staff was doing a “hundred different jobs” at the centre while officials from other department sat around.