Ten more senior police officers in Nakhon Pathom and Provincial Police Region 7 were transferred from their posts late on Monday for failing to contain a spate of serious crimes in the province, according to an order released yesterday.
In a previous order, 11 top officers in the province, including a younger brother of the national police chief, were transferred for the same reason.
The first order said the transfers came after several violent incidents in Nakhon Pathom. Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri wrote on his Twitter account that a Special Branch police officer was shot dead in a Nakhon Pathom gambling den on May 19 but no case report had been filed with the Royal Thai Police.
National police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang yesterday warned that not only top police officers but also those in supporting divisions in the same areas would be held responsible for failures.
Pol Gen Somyot describe the transfers as a new tough standard that would apply to any future cases and any officers, no matter how important they are.
He said he only has four months left before he retires and he intends to tackle long-standing problems. All the police officials affected by the move will today attend a meeting in which they will be given an explanation regarding their transfers and a chance to defend themselves.
Officers on the second transfer list are Pol Col Traiwich Namthongthai, deputy chief investigator of Provincial Police Region 7; Pol Col Preeda Im-charoen, chief investigator of Provincial Police Region 7's division 1; Pol Lt Col Samran Klanma, also a deputy chief investigator of Provincial Police Region 7's division 1; Pol Lt Col Preecha Timhom, deputy chief investigator of Nakhon Pathom provincial police; Pol Maj Narong Khumphrai, an investigator attached to Provincial Police Region 7's division 1; Pol Lt Col Yonglit Supphaphol, Pol Lt Col Amporn Limprasart and Pol Capt Sakka Srifa, all investigators attached to Nakhon Pathom provincial police; Pol Lt Col Wirachchan Khunchaikaew, deputy chief of the Crime Suppression Division's (CSD) sub-division 5; and Pol Lt Col Torwong Pithakkosol, an investigator attached to the CSD's sub-division 5.