Suphan Buri Provincial Police have set up a fact-finding committee to investigate allegations made by a police sergeant in a resignation letter, in which he claimed to have suffered a "loss of faith" in the force due to "protection of the guilty" and the "neglect of honest officers".
The letter, later found to have been penned by Pol Sgt Chaiphat Boontim of Muang Suphan Buri police station, has attracted a deluge of comments after it was posted on social media recently.
The police force has been rocked in recent months by a series of allegations, which include collusion with Chinese criminal syndicates to involvement in large-scale online gambling and extortion of tourists.
Earlier last week, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha admitted that corruption in the Royal Thai Police has been going on for many years and that all stakeholders involved must make a concerted effort to clean up the force.
Yesterday, Pol Maj Gen Chomchawin Purathananont, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7, which oversees Suphan Buri police, met with senior officers at Muang Suphan Buri police station to discuss Pol Sgt Chaiphat's resignation letter.
"I come here to listen to the problems [of the non-commissioned police officer] and want to open communication channels with other police officers who may have been mistreated at Muang Suphan Buri police station. [You] can inform me," he told the officers.
Pol Maj Gen Kriengkrai Wutthipanich, commander of Suphan Buri Provincial Police, said Pol Sgt Chaiphat tendered his resignation to his superior, Pol Col Tatchai Tipnet, the Muang Suphan Buri police station chief, on Feb 1.
His resignation letter has not been approved, he said.
Pol Sgt Chaiphat began his career in 2017 as an officer in the Crime Suppression Division before becoming an investigator, according to Pol Col Tatchai.
He once tendered his resignation in 2019, but this was later withdrawn.