Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has stressed the new Department of Special (DSI) Investigation chief must ensure justice when handling cases under the agency's responsibility.
Gen Prayut said yesterday he expected the new DSI chief, Suwana Suwanjuta, to carry out her job to the best of her ability, adding he has not instructed her to give priority to any particular case.
Suwana: DSI's first female boss
He said justice must be served in all cases, including those involving the red shirts, adding that those accused must be given a fair trial.
"Today, people are split, and they are watching which side is targeted. We must be fair or conflict will arise again. I myself cannot afford to interfere [with the DSI]," Gen Prayut said.
Gen Prayut added the cabinet has endorsed the appointment of the new DSI chief nominated by Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya.
The prime minister denied being a friend of Mrs Suwana's husband − Korpong Suwanjuta, who is the chief justice of the Court of Appeal Region 9.
The cabinet yesterday endorsed the appointment of Mrs Suwana, who is deputy permanent secretary for justice. She is the first female official to lead the DSI.
The DSI position has been vacant since the transfer of Tarit Pengdit to an inactive post at the Prime Minister's Office following the May 22 coup. Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Chatchawal Suksomjit was named acting DSI chief after Mr Tarit's transfer.
While Gen Paiboon was mulling candidates, Mrs Suwana was also acting DSI chief after Pol Gen Chatchawal was appointed permanent secretary for justice.
A DSI source said several candidates, from inside and outside the Justice Ministry, had been jostling for the top DSI post.
They included Pol Lt Gen Dejnarong Sutthichanbancha, the acting chief of Provincial Police Region 4 and former director of the Royal Thai Police Office's Budget Bureau, and Pol Col Narach Sawetanant, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department under the Justice Ministry.
Another deputy justice permanent secretary, Pol Col Dusadee Arayawut, was also tipped for the job.
The source said Gen Paiboon decided to pick Ms Suwana partly because officials at the ministry themselves did not want an outsider to become department chief at the Justice Ministry, after the junta appointed Pol Gen Chatchawal as acting DSI chief.
Resistance to the appointments of outsiders had appeared on the Facebook page of Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, and that of deputy permanent secretary for justice Thawatchai Thaikeow, the source said.