APA Section 13 — Competence and disqualification of officials

An order must be made by an official with authority in the matter (Section 12). Under Section 13, an official may not conduct an administrative proceeding if they are a party; the fiance(e) or spouse of a party; a relative of a party (ascendant or descendant of any degree, sibling or cousin within three degrees, or relative by marriage within two degrees); a current or former legal representative, guardian, representative or agent of a party; or a creditor, debtor or employer of a party. The official must stop and inform their superior (Section 14), and other serious grounds that could make the proceeding partial also disqualify (Section 16). Section 18 disapplies Sections 13 to 16 in urgent cases where delay would harm the public interest, or would harm a person's rights irreparably (โดยไม่มีทางแก้ไขได้), or where no other official can act in place of the disqualified one.