A rescue volunteer who waited for more than six hours for police to collect a body has been transferred to take care of a shrine after the story went viral, sparking social media criticism of authorities.
The Ruam Katanyu Foundation on Friday ordered Noppadol Seethongkham, code-named "Nakhon 71", to temporarily stop working in the field and assigned him to take care of a shrine at the foundation's office in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district from Saturday.
The transfer order came a week after his story went viral on social media, sparking numerous comments critical of the police.
On Feb 23, Mr Noppadol -- a member of the foundation's rapid deployment unit -- waited for police to collect a man's body retrieved from the Chao Phraya River near Rama VII bridge. It was a lengthy wait, he said -- from 1.30am to 8am.
The delay was due to confusion over which of three police stations had jurisdiction over the body: Prachachuen, Bang Pho or Bang Kruai.
After he chronicled his overnight vigil on social media, sympathy for "Nakhon 71" poured in -- along with criticism of police for making him spend the night with a dead body on a pier. Several police patrols came and went until officers from Bang Kruai station eventually conducted an autopsy and sent the body for further examination at Thammasat University's Central Institute of Forensic Science.
Rescue workers are forbidden to remove bodies from crime scenes until police come to conduct a preliminary autopsy and collect evidence.
"The foundation has been negatively affected by police and related agencies" after Mr Noppadon did not come out to "correct" the story, said the order signed by foundation manager Somsak Palawat.
A five-member panel has been set up to review his performance, according to the order.
Noppadol Seethongkham stays cheerful despite being under internal investigation. (Photo from Noppadol Seethongkham Facebook account)
Deputy police spokesman Pol Col Krissana Pattanacharoen defended police handling of the incident on Feb 23, saying cases such as this were rare. The bridge the man jumped from is under the jurisdiction of the Bang Pho police station but the body was found in an area where the Prachachuen police station is responsible, he said. To add to the complication, rescue workers were unable to move the body to the nearest river bank, and had to take it to the other side -- an area overseen by Bang Kruai police.
"I was a bit shocked. But I am not downhearted," he told Thairath Online when asked about the transfer order.
Mr Noppadol said another person posted the picture of him sitting on a pier with the body by his side, adding he was ready to explain what happened to the panel.
His Facebook page on Sunday quoted foundation deputy manager Thitikorn Sawettanan as saying the internal investigation is expected to conclude in one week. The order was not a punishment and the procedure is followed in all such cases, the deputy manager added.