Former energy minister, Pichai Naripthaphan, recently appointed as an adviser to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, yesterday called on the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to improve how it updates its criminal record database so that the records of those cleared of any criminal offence can be promptly removed.
The call came after Mr Pichai discovered he was still listed on the national police database after showing up on background checks.
A clean criminal record is required for his appointment as a PM adviser, he said.
"After I was appointed to the position of PM's adviser, they ran a criminal background check. And as it turned out, the record was still there," he said.
However, all three cases brought against him by former PM, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, have already been dropped by prosecutors, Mr Pichai said.
Those cases, lodged over critical remarks he made online about the Prayut administration's handling of the economy, were classified as violations of the Computer Crime Act.
Mr Pichai said the things he warned about, criticised and predicted have already come true, making a mockery of the criminal charges against him.
Despite that, the RTP has still not updated its criminal record database -- something Mr Pichai ascertained when he ran a check on himself.
Instead of updating the database automatically, the RTP requested documentation proving he had been cleared of all criminal offences, he said.
Mr Pichai said many people, especially young ones, who have had similar experiences are being negatively impacted by the RTP's inefficient system of updating its database.
They may be barred from applying for a job or from travelling abroad, he added.