Tats AMO-A V. 
395 
on by fear to withdraw the suit, and any judge or officer of the state, 
who does not cheerfully, as well as uprightly, discharge his duty, will 
he dismissed. AO such will be held strictly responsible for those they 
chose to employ or to recommend for public employment. 
An unjust judge will be branded on the forehead by several slight 
cuts of a sword, and will thereafter stand on the pillory [a sort of 
mock impalement.] Should a judge without cause delay to settle any 
matter at issue he will be liable for the value in dispute and costs, 
and he will be disgraced should he entertain a suit, the parties in 
which reside beyond his jurisdiction. Should he falsify the original 
memorial of a party, he will forfeit the value of the property in dis¬ 
pute, and pay the costs, and thereafter be put in chains. 
A judge will be dismissed for incapacity, if it shall be proved 
against him. 
When the King suspects that any of liis Law Officers are ignorant 
of the Codes of the Kingdom he directs the P,hra K,hlang to call 
them. In one digest it is related that the chief judge Mdhosot was 
summoned to answer for alleged incapacity. He tried to get off by 
observing that he ought to be judged by a reference to his former 
recorded decisions. Before the Council he was forced to hear a num¬ 
ber of cases stated, and ordered to decide agreeably to the Code of 
the Kingdom. He failed in one or two instances to decide according 
to law. The next day he was again called on, but he sent notice 
that he was not accustomed to carry law books in his hands, and that 
lie had therefore sent in Ins place the Lo-ung Rocha tjiada , the 
Attjiiya, the KJioon sec, and Sangkdn , Officers of the Tribunal. 
When the officers had reached the Council they declared that they 
had never studied the Kot P,hra Ayakaan “The Chief Code”. His 
Majesty thereafter expressed his surprise at the ignorance of his 
functionaries, and directed copies of the Code to be made out for 
general distribution. 
As there is no School of Law' in Siam it will often happen that 
an officer on receiving an appointment is quite ignorant of his duty. 
The King orders copies to be given to his officers, and it is through 
these officers that the people procure copies, 
