Pongsapat ' Not Neutral Enough' To Rejoin Thai Police Force

[webfact]

Pongsapat 'not neutral enough' to rejoin police force
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Failed Pheu Thai Party governor candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen should not return to the police force because he is no longer politically neutral, a former police chief and academic said yesterday.

Former police chief Pratin Santiprapop said that though the law allows Pongsapat to be reinstated in the police bureau, it is clear that he is attached to the ruling Pheu Thai party as he ran under the party's banner. Therefore, he said, Pongsapat should not return to a post that requires him to be politically neutral.

Pongsapat has yet to say if he will continue on his political journey or return to the police force. However, the Royal Thai Police has said it is ready to welcome him back.

At a press conference on Sunday, Pongsapat conceded defeat but did not reveal his next move, saying he wanted to wait till Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra returns from Europe on Thursday.

Political scientist Sukhum Nualsakul, meanwhile, said if Pongsapat did decide to return to his government post, he should be transferred to another field that is away from the justice system.

"I don't agree [if Pongsapat is to return as police officer], especially if he is to work in the ad-

ministration line. Running in the election means he has already taken sides. If he returns to the police force, which is meant to protect justice in society, there will be doubts about his integrity," Sukhum said.

Chulalongkorn University political scientist Chaiyan Chaiyaporn said if Pongsapat wanted to return to bureaucracy, he had to get rid of his political image first. Otherwise, he would have the same problems that Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Kamronwit Thoopkrajang is facing.

Kamronwit's neutrality has been under question since he put a photograph of him posing with former PM Thaksin Shinawatra on public display and has started voicing full support for the former leader.

A source said it was likely that Pongsapat would ask to be reinstated as deputy police chief and secretary-general of the Office of Narcotics Control Board. Since Pongsapat will not retire until 2016, he is expected to replace National Police Chief Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew when the latter retires in 2014.

Justice Minister Pracha Promnok said yesterday that he would consider reinstating Pongsapat at the Office of Narcotics Control Board. However, the minister said that Pongsapat must first file a request to be reinstated as police officer as he had to quit the force to run in the Bangkok governor election.

According to the law, Pongsapat who quit the police force to run in the election has the right to be reinstated to his earlier post or a post equal to his earlier post if he does not win the election.


-- The Nation 2013-03-05

[A Member]

He resigns to stand as a candidate, loses and it's stated he can rejoin the BIB. He has shown political affiliation, to say the least, and I consider a police force should be a political. He should not be allowed back in but TIT

[Locationthailand]

So by this startling piece of journalism the journalist is saying police have to be politically neutral?

[Buchholz]

.

From the very beginning, it was over-the-top lack of neutrality.

There should be consequences if that over-the-top lack of neutrality fails to secure a win.

One of those consequences should be you don't get to return to be the the # 1 Narc and the # 2 cop in the country (with grooming to become the # 1 cop in the country next year).

QUOTE:
Police General Pongsapat Pongcharoen, Deputy National Police Chief has agreed to run as the Pheu Thai Party candidate in the upcoming Bangkok governor's election

He was approached by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who wanted the media-savvy officer to represent Pheu Thai in the contest for the Bangkok governorship, the sources said.
UNQUOTE.

But, but, but, it's not about Thaksin....


Police General Pongsapat Pongcharoen

.

Apparently from his bio, he's actually Police General Doctor Pongsapat Pongcharoen as he's listed as having obtained the same degree (PhD) with the same major (criminal justice) at the same university as Police Lieutenant-Colonel Doctor Thaksin (Sam Houston State University). They graduated a year apart.

What a coincidence.

QUOTE:
The Pheu Thai Party's executive board yesterday made a unanimous decision to field Pongsapat Pongcharoen in the race for Bangkok governor.

Pongsapat is expected to resign today from his concurrent positions as Deputy National Police Chief and Secretary-General of the Office of Narcotics Control Board. Tomorrow, he will formally take up membership of the Pheu Thai Party ahead of candidacy registration on January 25.
UNQUOTE.

Out of a field of multiple candidates representing different factions within the Pheu Thai Party (PTP), Thaksin picked his fellow alumni and policeman Pongsapat for the position and lo and behold the PTP Executive Committee (minus Yingluck because she doesn't warrant being a member of her own Party's executives) followed and voted for him unanimously.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Buchholz

[hellodolly]

Not bad enough he has to take sides in politics he has to buddy up to the corruption leader.

That alone should get him reinstated here in Thailand.

In reality many other countries also.

[virtualtraveller]

Well said. But what's new, we all know the police in this country are red, that's all part of the problem. Thaksin sees them all as just another tool in his box of tricks to side-step common sense justice.

[chainarong]

So by this startling piece of journalism the journalist is saying police have to be politically neutral?

Yeah , my sentiments exactly

[Thai at Heart]

Actually, great idea. Even better, stop all civil servants, army and police from voting. All public servants should be neutral right?

It would stop retired police and army guys from entering politics which wouldn't be a bad thing, would it?

[Nickymaster]

Chulalongkorn University political scientist Chaiyan Chaiyaporn said if Pongsapat wanted to return to bureaucracy, he had to get rid of his political image first. Otherwise, he would have the same problems that Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Kamronwit Thoopkrajang is facing.

As if any of the Thai politicians give a damn about what these political scientists say.

Within this month Pongsapat will be back working at the neutral Thai police force.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Nickymaster

[webfact]

Way paved for losing candidate Pongsapat to return to police service
By English News



BANGKOK, Mar 5 – Pongsapat Pongcharoen, a former deputy police chief defeated in Sunday’s Bangkok election, can be reinstated to the National Police Bureau if he applies, according to the justice minister.

Pracha Promnok said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will have to submit the request to the cabinet for approval if Pol Gen Pongsapat formally asks to return to the police force.

Gen Pongsapat left police service to contest the gubernatorial election under the government party’s Pheu Thai banner. He lost to Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

The justice minister said Gen Pongsapat will be restored to his former post of deputy national police chief while his concurrent position of secretary general of the Office of Narcotics Control Board will have to be approved by the cabinet, probably next week.

Gen Pongsapat’s service period will be interrupted by only 45 days, he said.

The constitution allows a government official who resigns to run for election to seek reinstatement if he loses at the polls. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-03-05

[nevets]

So not one of the Military or Police have a vote in Thailand.

[monkeycountry]

He can be Mr. Tarits sidekick at the DSI!

Edited March 5, 2013 by monkeycountry

[kimamey]

I don't necessarily see a problem with someone going back into the police after taking part in a legal election. After all he must have had political views before he left to campaign in the election. I would assume many others in the police, armed services and civil service have views on politics as well.

I do think there's a problem if you've had contact with a convicted criminal on the run. Kamronwit Thoopkrajang can't have any defence for his position at all but for Pongsapat it depends on extent of his connection.

[bigbamboo]

I think we saw just how neutral the police are back in 2010.

Well they certainly didn't want to get involved.

[klauskunkel]

Quote: "According to the law, Pongsapat who quit the police force to run in the election has the right to be reinstated to his earlier post or a post equal to his earlier post if he does not win the election."

So does the police force have a bunch of these posts lying around, waiting for some looser to be reinstated, or do they create those posts on the fly when needed?

[kimamey]

Quote: "According to the law, Pongsapat who quit the police force to run in the election has the right to be reinstated to his earlier post or a post equal to his earlier post if he does not win the election."

So does the police force have a bunch of these posts lying around, waiting for some looser to be reinstated, or do they create those posts on the fly when needed?

Or maybe they just leave the post open and it carries on just as well without anyone there.

[indyuk]

Pongsapat stands out as a man of integrety and is people oriented. That is refreshing in Thailand. Pongsapat's ambitions for Bangkok were sensible and needed. That is how he polled above one million votes. Further had he won is is likely that the problem of corruption in Bangkok among polictical servents would have been resolved at last.

[Buchholz]

Pongsapat stands out as a man of integrety and is people oriented. That is refreshing in Thailand. Pongsapat's ambitions for Bangkok were sensible and needed. That is how he polled above one million votes. Further had he won is is likely that the problem of corruption in Bangkok among polictical servents would have been resolved at last.

.

Are you reciting one of his campaign posters?

.

[whybother]

Pongsapat stands out as a man of integrety and is people oriented. That is refreshing in Thailand. Pongsapat's ambitions for Bangkok were sensible and needed. That is how he polled above one million votes. Further had he won is is likely that the problem of corruption in Bangkok among polictical servents would have been resolved at last.

"Pongsapat's ambitions for Bangkok were sensible and needed."

Agreed. Bangkok needs 5000 toilets.

Edited March 5, 2013 by whybother

[bigbamboo]

Pongsapat stands out as a man of integrety and is people oriented. That is refreshing in Thailand. Pongsapat's ambitions for Bangkok were sensible and needed. That is how he polled above one million votes. Further had he won is is likely that the problem of corruption in Bangkok among polictical servents would have been resolved at last.

In your world maybe....!

[khunken]

Pongsapat stands out as a man of integrety and is people oriented. That is refreshing in Thailand. Pongsapat's ambitions for Bangkok were sensible and needed. That is how he polled above one million votes. Further had he won is is likely that the problem of corruption in Bangkok among polictical servents would have been resolved at last.

Well, that's a candidate for joke of the day. His integrity is loyalty to Thaksin, who nominated him. Sensible ambitions - covered in the post above about the toilets. The crowning glory is an ex-police officer solving corruption. He was selected because of his ability to allow (if not create) more corruption for PTP to add to their country-wide corruption.

[rubl]

One can but feel somewhat sorry for our dear Pol. General Dr. Pongsapat. It seems he's so disappointed by his very close defeat that he simply gives up his possibly very promising career as (Pheu Thai) politician. One and a half month and already 'burned out'.

Makes you wonder how he would have dealt with 5, 6, 8, 10 or even 12 million Bangkok citizens all wanting something different. It looks like for him this was just a daring exercise without real consequences on failure. May be it's a good thing he lost.

[Buchholz]

One can but feel somewhat sorry for our dear Pol. General Dr. Pongsapat. It seems he's so disappointed by his very close defeat that he simply gives up his possibly very promising career as (Pheu Thai) politician. One and a half month and already 'burned out'.

Makes you wonder how he would have dealt with 5, 6, 8, 10 or even 12 million Bangkok citizens all wanting something different. It looks like for him this was just a daring exercise without real consequences on failure. May be it's a good thing he lost.

.

The narco-criminals must enjoy knowing the cop that gives up so easily is back on the job.

You also have to feel sorry for Jatuporn. Denied a place on the Cabinet last year as Deputy Interior Minister, he's snubbed again this year by not becoming Deputy Bangkok Governor.

.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Buchholz

[rubl]

Probably totally unrelated, but I did notice a dozen or more cars parked along RamaIII (from Narathiwat westwards) with a wheel clamp.

The Police General(s) love affair with Bangkok people seems to have been a short fling only

[GazR]

I guess Peua Thai don't want this political loser as a politician anymore, so he goes back to work for Thaksin as a 'tomato' cop.

Thaksin's gotta find someone to blame - anyone but himself that is.

I recall a TV reporter asking Thaksin a few years ago if he had made any mistakes, to which he replied only that he had been too nice to people sometimes.

Pass me the barf bag please!

[waza]

Bright eyes,
Burning like fire.
Bright eyes,
How can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
Suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes.

[Buchholz]

.

See ya back in 2017 for another crack at it...

Pongsapat to return to police force

Failed Pheu Thai candidate hints he might run again four years later

Pheu Thai's failed Bangkok governor candidate Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said he would tell PM Yingluck Shinawatra today he is returning to work as a police officer. He said he wouldn't take any political positions, but would consider running for governor again in four years.

Pongsapat believed the duties of a policeman could help solve the troubles for people more than other occupations. He was not hoping to be the National Police Chief, even though he had three more years in police service before his retirement age.

Pongsapat said it was normal for people to criticise him for returning to the police. But he wanted to work in a position that could benefit the community, such as solving problems like drugs and crime.

"I confirm I won't take up any political positions after receiving more than one million votes from Bangkokians."

"But in the next four years if Bangkok still has [the same troubles as] today, I may return to the Bangkok gubernatorial election again."

-- The Nation 2103-03-07

[rubl]

"I confirm I won't take up any political positions after receiving more than one million votes from Bangkokians."

Why did he mention the one millions votes (the PM had helped get for him) ? Does he want to say he could because of that? Does he just want to say "well, it was fun while it lasted"? "you didn't want me, so bye bye" ?

More and more I get the impression that Bangkok people wouldn't be really helped by having this somewhat wishy-washy figure as governor.

[Buchholz]

Pongsapat 'not neutral enough' to rejoin police force

BANGKOK: -- Failed Pheu Thai Party governor candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen should not return to the police force because he is no longer politically neutral

Pongsapat has yet to say if he will continue on his political journey or return to the police force

.

Pongsapat reinstated as Deputy Police Chief

The Police Commission Tuesday resolved to reinstate failed Bangkok governor candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen as a Deputy Police Commissioner-General.

Pongsapat resigned from the police service to contest in the gubernatorial election, but was beaten by Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

-- The Nation 2013-04-09

.

[OzMick]

So by this startling piece of journalism the journalist is saying police have to be politically neutral?

allegedly