National police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol and his deputy Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn have been transferred to the Prime Minister's Office in a move aimed at facilitating justice and public service, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
The prime minister's statement came after he chaired a meeting of the Police Commission at the Office of the Royal Thai Police on Thursday morning, following the transfer of Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate the previous day.
After the meeting, the prime minister told reporters that he was against any form of interference, while stressing that the Royal Thai Police should be able to work with dignity in serving the public interest.
"If we were busy with the issue, people would be in trouble and everyone would not focus on their work," Mr Srettha said.
Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate remain innocent pending investigation by a probe committee, and their transfer is intended to facilitate due process and prevent any potential interference, he said.
The prime minister said he outlined his policies for the police force, which were acknowledged by the acting national police chief, Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet.
Mr Srettha said the police should seriously address the issues of narcotics, loan sharks, influential people, smuggled goods and illegal firearms.
The prime minister also ordered all parties to stop giving interviews regarding the situation between Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate.
Responding to questions from reporters about potential objections or repercussions of the transfer order, Mr Srettha said the transfer decision had to be made to provide clarity on the matter to society.
Pol Gen Winai Thongsong, a member of the prime minister's probe committee, said on Thursday that he still could not confirm if the investigation would finish within the assigned 60 days or before the retirement of Pol Gen Torsak at the end of this September.
He said that his committee would look into allegations regarding bribery associated with gambling websites, and that the issue was serious and concerned many people.
However, he assured that his committee would acquire all relevant information necessary for the clarification of the matter.
Pol Gen Winai denied claims that the establishment of his probe committee was a tactic to delay proceedings, asserting that it operated impartially to resolve the issue.
Pol Gen Winai is a former deputy national police chief and is a member of the Police Commission.
Winai: Penal's not buying time
Earlier the national police chief and his deputy had made frequent headlines amid reports that Pol Gen Surachate could face charges of money laundering in connection with online gambling networks.
On Sunday Bangkok police attached a notice to the gate of Pol Gen Surachate's residence in Laksi district, requiring him to acknowledge a money-laundering charge related to a suspected gambling website network. That same day, Pol Gen Surachate questioned the legitimacy of the legal action against him.
On Monday Pol Gen Torsak told reporters that if Pol Gen Surachate ignored repeated summonses, he could face an arrest warrant and suspension from duty. Moreover, he said, he expected the cases concerning his deputy would be concluded before his retirement.
At a press conference on Tuesday, lawyers representing Pol Gen Surachate said there were ongoing attempts to discredit his client due to his potential succession as the national police chief later this year.
