National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda has approved the resignation of Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, who headed the police investigation into the trafficking of Rohingya migrants.
Pol Gen Chakthip said on Monday he had accepted Pol Maj Gen Paween’s decision to leave the Royai Thai Police force. His formal approval was an administrative step which involved writing to relevant agencies.
Pol Maj Gen Paween: Resigned for fear of his safety.
The 57-year-old deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8 tendered his resignation on Nov 5 after the Police Commission transferred him to the position of deputy chief of the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Centre (SBPPOC).
He said the transfer order put his life at risk. The suspects he was prosecuting for trafficking in Rohingya and Bengali migrants were influential in the southern region and they were targeting him.
He said it was unfair. He had fully dedicated himself to the trafficking investigation, which led to 153 arrest warrants being issued and 91 suspects arrested.
Pol Maj Gen Paween said several witnesses had been intimidated and told to retract their testimonies and he also received threats from the human trafficking network.