Internship of Judge Peter Potásch at the Supreme Administrative Court of the Kingdom of Thailand

Judge of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic Peter Potásch participated in a working visit to the Supreme Administrative Court of the Kingdom of Thailand from 25 November 2024 to 6 December 2024, which was carried out within the framework of the membership of the local court in the International Association of Supreme Administrative Courts. The purpose of the stay was exchange information on the positive legal regulations of both countries in selected areas of administrative law forming the subject of the decision-making activity of both administrative courts, both from the substantive and procedural point of view.

Judge Peter Potásch at the Supreme Administrative Court of the Kingdom of Thailand. Photo © Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic.

During his internship, Judge Potásch had a number of professional consultations, in particular with the President of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Vice-Presidents, as well as with a number of judges of this Court. Particular attention was paid to general topics of administrative justice, the importance of administrative justice in the protection of the environment, as well as topics of financial law. The partners at the Supreme Administrative Court of the Kingdom of Thailand presented to the Slovak judge alternative methods of dispute resolution in the administrative justice system, as well as the specificities related to the adjudication of disputes of an environmental nature. At the same time, the basic procedural aspects of proceedings before administrative courts were presented to him, and Judge Potásch also attended such hearings, both at the Supreme Administrative Court of the Kingdom of Thailand and at the first instance administrative court.

He also had expert discussions with Thai counterparts on topics related to building a library collection as a database of specialized sources for judges and the court’s professional staff, the history of the country’s administrative judiciary (including a visit to the museum located in the courthouse), as well as on the computerization of the administration of justice (e-Admincourt). During the first week of the study stay, Judge Potásch presented a lecture on “Selected Topics Relating to the Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic and to the Slovak Administrative Judiciary” to the judges and professional staff of the Administrative Court and the Supreme Administrative Court of the Kingdom of Thailand.

During his internship in Thailand, Judge Potásch was also received by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Thailand, where he also participated in a hearing, and was also received by the Office of the Ombudsman, as well as by the Thai Centre for Human Rights. At the above-mentioned institutions, an exchange of basic knowledge took place between the Thai counterparts and Judge Potásh, with a particular focus on the quality of public administration or its control also by bodies outside the judiciary, their function and importance.