National police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas has given the Office of Inspector General (OIG) 15 days to finish a probe into rumours that a police general, identified as "General Jor", is involved with illegal online gambling businesses and the oil trade.
The OIG now faces a strict deadline after it was ordered earlier to launch the probe.
Pol Gen Damrongsak is demanding to know the identity of the suspected general and whether he colluded with another police official, identified as "Inspector Sua", to take bribes from the illegal online gambling and oil trade business, according to Pol Maj Gen Archayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police (RTP).
Former massage parlour tycoon Chuvit Kamolvisit claims Inspector Sua is Pol Lt Col Wasawat Mukarasakul, attached to the public work division under the RTP's logistics unit. Last week, the officer was suspended from work due to absenteeism, causing damage to the state.
Citing information supplied by Mr Chuvit, an informed source said Inspector Sua often drove a supercar to work and is named as a shareholder in 10 companies linked to Pentor Group and the Lalisa massage parlour in Bangkok.
He reportedly spends most of his time abroad, especially in the UK and Japan, where he usually stayed at a rented penthouse costing about 150,000 baht a night, said the source, adding this was before the officer was suspended from work.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who Pol Maj Gen Archayon said had instructed Pol Gen Damrongsak to probe the alleged involvement of some police in illegal online gambling businesses, said ultimately, the investigation would reveal the truth.
In another development, in an interview with Top News, an online news agency, Pol Lt Gen Kornchai Klayklueng, an assistant national police chief, denied having had close ties with Inspector Sua.
Pol Lt Gen Kornchai insisted he had no involvement in any illegal online gambling network.
He said he had talked to Mr Chuvit on the phone, whom he feels must have misunderstood that he was behind the illegal businesses allegedly operated by Inspector Sua.
Pol Lt Gen Kornchai said Inspector Sua had been listed among potential candidates to be considered for a position in the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau. However, it was he who dropped the inspector's name.
