NAKHON RATCHASIMA: The police chief of Ubon Ratchathani has been transferred after allegedly refusing to comply with health screening procedures when his flight landed at the provincial airport.
Pol Maj Gen Ronnakorn Rithirong was moved to temporary duty at Region 3 Provincial Police headquarters in Nakhon Ratchasima to facilitate an investigation, under an order issued by Pol Lt Gen Poonsap, commissioner of Region 3 Provincial Police.
The commotion occurred last week when Pol Maj Gen Ronnakorn arrived at Ubon Ratchathani airport on a return flight from Bangkok. He allegedly refused to undergo the standard health-screening process against the coronavirus, and loudly berated the officials trying to do their job.
Pol Lt Gen Poonsap said that under his order issued on April 25, Pol Maj Gen Ronnakorn was to start his temporary duty at the Region 3 headquarters from Monday, so that he would not be able to meddle with an investigation into the row.
He appointed his deputy, Pol Maj Gen Panu Buranasiri, to head the fact-finding investigation.
The investigation panel would take information from witnesses and gather other evidence to ensure justice for all concerned.
If the officer was found to be in the wrong, he would be punished according to the law, Pol Lt Gen Poonsap said.
Region 3 police have jusrisdiction over eight provinces in the lower Northeast — Chaiyabhum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Yasothon, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani.