01.08.09 Police boss 'to take leave'
Would take heat off govt in Sondhi case
National police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwon's proposal to take leave
will take a lot of heat off the government in the Sondhi shooting case.
It will also give the government a chance to reorganise the police force in the annual reshuffle.
Pol Gen Patcharawat's offer yesterday to take 10 days' leave to go
on a mission overseas and put on hold the police reshuffle has
apparently come as a relief to the Abhisit government.
His proposal came amid rumours he would be sacked to allow a probe
into the attempted assassination of core People's Alliance for
Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul to proceed.
The government was under pressure to take action after police
investigators led by deputy police chief Thanee Somboonsap complained
that the investigation had run into difficulties. The PAD and its
allies also accused Pol Gen Patcharawat of blocking the probe.
It was reported there was an attempt to ask Pol Gen Patcharawat to
take a month's leave to give the police investigating the case a free
hand and speed up their work.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday the police chief's
10-day leave, which could be extended by another 30 days, along with
the suspension of the annual police reshuffle, were suggested by Pol
Gen Patcharawat himself.
Mr Abhisit said Pol Gen Patcharawat's decision to delay the
reshuffle was to ensure the issue would not be used to pressure the
investigators.
"I think the leave is long enough for the investigation to make some
progress. The investigators have said they need a few days if there is
no obstacle like a reshuffle," said Mr Abhisit.
Pol Gen Phatcharawat on Saturday told reporters he had met with the
premier on Friday afternoon but had never submitted a letter asking for
a permission to take leave as the media reported.
He is scheduled to pay a ten-day official visit to China in his capacity as the police chief as earlier planned.
The police chief insisted that after returning from China he will not take leave and will perform duties as usual.
Asked
about his insistence was not in line with what Mr Abhisit had stated,
Pol Gen Phatcharawat said he had no idea because he had never known
what the premier had said. The
prime minister insisted that Pol Gen Patcharawat was not the obstacle
to the investigation into the attempt on Mr Sondhi's life.
He said he has yet to study related laws to see whether he or Pol
Gen Patcharawat is authorised to appoint an acting national police
chief.
Pol Gen Patcharawat said he was not under any pressure from the
government over the decision and his trip to China had been planned in
advance.
A source close to Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said the prime
minister had called Gen Prawit yesterday for support in his decision.
"The decision is up to you. You should discuss it with Pol Gen
Patcharawat. I myself have never put pressure on the government," the
source quoted Gen Prawit as telling Mr Abhisit.
An army source said the prime minister also consulted army chief
Anupong Paojinda yesterday. The two also discussed claims by Mr Sondhi
that soldiers were involved in the attack on him. Gen Anupong promised
to look into the matter, the source said.
Mr Sondhi earlier claimed that the assassination team comprised 13 military men and one police officer.
PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila yesterday doubted that Pol Gen
Patcharawat's decision would help the investigation, saying it was just
a solution to the government's problems.
"Finally, the government has decided to save its own skin. This approach cannot address the public scepticism.
"And now the prime minister has three questions to answer - who will
the acting police chief be, is the reshuffle really suspended and what
is the real obstacle to the investigation?" he said.
A police source said yesterday that Pol Gen Thanee, who is in charge
of the investigation, would be appointed acting police chief and
authorised to prepare the annual reshuffle list along with the prime
minister's advisory team.
Meanwhile, Pol Lt Gen Asawin Kwanmuang, assistant police chief, said
one of two suspects in the Sondhi shooting who remained at large had
sent a letter denying any involvement.
He said Pol Cpl Worawut Mungsanti, attached to the anti-narcotics
police, did not say whether he would surrender to face charges. But he
added he could guarantee Pol Cpl Worawut's safety if he contacted him
to fight the charges. Source: Bangkok Post, 01.08.09 http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/21265/police-boss-to-take-leave
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