The national police chief yesterday announced the transfer of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief and his deputy, saying he had important tasks for them.
Pol Gen Somyot Pumpanmuang signed an order, effective from today, transferring Pol Lt Gen Pongpat Chayapan and his deputy, Pol Maj Gen Kowit Wongrungruang, to the Royal Thai Police Office's operation centre.
Pongpat: Two years before retirement
According to the transfer order made public yesterday, the officers were required to report to the centre by 10am yesterday but did not attend. The transfer order was reportedly signed by Pol Gen Somyot late on Tuesday night.
Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawonsiri, a deputy national police chief, was assigned to serve as acting CIB chief, effective since Tuesday. Pol Gen Somyot said he had important assignments for the pair, whom he described as "knowledgeable".
Pol Lt Gen Pongpat served as CIB chief for four years and has just two years left before mandatory retirement.
He was born and raised in Samut Sakhon and attended the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School in 1972. He later graduated with a bachelor's degree in public administration from the Royal Police Cadet Academy. He earned a master's degree in public administration from Chulalongkorn University.
Pol Lt Gen Pongpat also completed a number of overseas training courses, including a police organisation administration course at the Canadian Police College and a course on investigation in the US.