Sixteen police, including 10 senior officers, stationed in Nong Chok and Min Buri have been transferred to inactive posts in the wake of the arrest of a suspect in the Erawan bombing and seizure of bomb-making materials.
All 16 officers have been shunted immediately to assist with work at Metropolitan Police Division (MPD) 3 office, under a transfer order signed on Monday by Pol Maj Gen Somprasong Yentuam, commander of division 3.
They include 10 senior officers at the two police stations -- Pol Col Kanchon Inthraram, Min Buri police chief; Pol Col Pornthep Suttipanya, Nong Chok police chief, Pol Lt Col Dendom Lapanant, Nong Chok deputy suppression chief; Pol Lt Col Thanapan Padungkarn, Min Buri deputy investigation chief; Pol Lt Col Thanawut Sa-nguansuk, Nong Chok crime suppression chief; Pol Lt Col Somkid Prachoensuk, Min Buri investigation chief; Pol Lt Khanchit Promsri, Min Buri deputy investigation chief; Pol Lt Panotchai Prathumlert, Min Buri deputy crime suppression chief; Pol Lt Weeraphan Laomuangkarn, Nong Chok deputy crime suppression chief, and Pol Sub-Lt Khachorn Kruelamai, Nong Chok deputy investigation chief.
During the transfer, Pol Col Susak Prakkamakul, deputy commander at the MPD 3, will serve as acting chief at Nong Chok police station, and Pol Col Wattaya Yijeen, deputy commander of MPD 3, as acting chief of Min Buri police station.
The order was issued after security forces raided the Pool Anant apartment building in the Nong Chok district of Bangkok and Maimuna Garmen Home in Min Buri district on Saturday. At Pool Anant they arrested a foreign man believed to have been involved in the Aug 17 bombing at the Erawan shrine, which killed 20 people. Bomb-making materials were seized at both apartments.
After the Erawan and Sathorn pier explosions, Metropolitan Police Division 3 asked all police stations in its jurisdiction to inspect apartments, mansions, flats and rented houses where foreigners stayed for clues about the deadly blast.
The two stations reported back that there were no suspicious foreigners or bomb-making materials in their areas.
