Panel captain promises outcomes in 60 days
According to former deputy police chief Pol Gen Winai Thongsong, who sits on a committee looking into the matter, the truth must be exposed within 60 days. A probe into a conflict in the Royal Thai Police (RTP ) will not end up being a simple token gesture to the public.
According to Pol Gen Winai, the issue has received a lot of media attention, so it is crucial to keep up with the investigation’s progress.
In response to the issue, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday ordered the transport of Torsak Sukvimol, the federal police commander, and his assistant, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, to the prime minister’s office.
The move get follows months of tensions, which saw Pol Gen Surachate, also known as” Big Joke”, accused of wealth fraud related to the BNK Master online gaming site.
On Sunday, police prosecutors failed to summon him to give an acknowledgement of the cost.
Pol Gen Torsak claimed on Monday that Pol Gen Surachate had been ordered to look at the Tao Poon authorities station today and that he would experience an arrest warrant and remain suspended from duty if he failed to comply with a second call.
As a team of attorneys for Pol Gen Surachate accused 30 soldiers of taking payments from the BNK Master system, the same gaming system that allegedly has ties to Pol Gen Surachate, conflicts grew on Tuesday.
The prime minister decided to establish a committee made up of independent members after Pol Gen Winai stated that the opposition may harm the RTP’s popularity.
The committee will have 60 days to complete its work, and Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet, the assistant federal police chief, may be acting as the acting captain.
It did examine allegations ranging from accepting bribes to fabricating Pol Gen Surachate’s identity to prevent his prospects of being chosen for the position of police chief.
But if the committee never complete the probe within the 60- day time frame, an extension may become sought, Pol Gen Winai said. After the probe is completed, it will be forwarded to the prime minister, he said.
” I insist that the probe will not end up being just a token gesture without any concrete steps taken,” Pol Gen Winai said.
According to Mr. Srettha, the transfer of Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate was intended to open the door to justice and public service.
The Prime Minister made the remarks on Thursday after he presided over a police commission meeting at the Office of the Royal Thai Police.
The prime minister reiterated to reporters following the meeting that he was opposed to any kind of interference while arguing that the police force should be able to function with dignity in 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.
According to him, Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate remain innocent until a probe committee reviews their case, and their transfer is intended to facilitate fairness and stop any potential interference.
Mr Srettha said the police should seriously address the issues of narcotics, loan sharks, influential people, smuggled goods and illegal firearms.
All parties should also stop giving interviews about Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate’s situation, he said.