Thaksin may lose police rank

[webfact]

POLITICS
Thaksin may lose police rank
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- FORMER PRIME MINISTER Thaksin Shinawatra - who escaped criminal punishment in Thailand by fleeing the country - may be stripped of his lieutenant colonel police rank, said the chairman of a police committee that looks into officers' ranks.

General Chaiya Siri-ampunkul said his committee was finalising details and preparing documents in Thaksin's case and he expected to forward the case file to the police commissioner within a few days.

He revealed that according to police regulations, seven offences could lead to an officer being stripped of rank and Thaksin fell into one of them.

"Based on documents from many government agencies, the committee has found that Pol Lt-Colonel Thaksin is a fugitive of many criminal penalties. So it falls into a category of our regulations to take away a police rank," Chaiya said.

Saying the case details would be submitted to national police chief General Somyot Pumpunmuang, he declined to reveal further information. Somyot will hold a press conference on the matter, he said.

Thaksin would officially lose the rank if the recommendation were to be royally approved, he said.

Chaiya insisted that all the procedures had been followed by his committee and the concerned agencies.

"It is a sensitive issue and the committee worked in accordance with rules and laws," he said.

Meanwhile, Somyot guaranteed that no personal feelings were involved when deciding whether to strip Thaksin of his rank.

On August 7, 2014, the Office of the Ombudsman of Thailand sent an urgent letter to police headquarters asking police to consider stripping Thaksin of the rank in accordance with regulations, as he is wanted under five arrest warrants issued by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, Chaiya said.

On May 1, Somyot assigned the committee to consider the request.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said it was initially decided not to take the drastic action of stripping Thaksin's rank because it was thought doing so would back up Thaksin's assertion that the military government was trying to intimidate him. The government had hoped he would curtail his actions but he did not, Prayut said.

Prayut added that the Thaksin problem had reached a level where the PM would not stop officials if they decided to remove the rank.

"I should not make all the decisions. If Thaksin did something wrong that is entitled to that punishment, the officials could forward the case to me," the premier said.

The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday revoked two of Thaksin's passports on the grounds that his recent interview with a foreign media organisation was a danger to national security. The decision followed security authorities' alert that the interview will have an impact on security, and the Kingdom's reputation and integrity.

Thaksin may face the lese majeste charge over what he said in the interview.

Prayut said that the junta had no involvement in the decision to cancel Thaksin's passports.

The move to gather evidence to see if Thaksin's remarks insulted the monarch was done after the authorities received complaints about his comments, he said.

"The National Council for Peace and Order did not get involved in the passports matter. Concerning the reports that Thaksin could be charged with lese majeste, we acted after receiving complaints about the interview," Prayut said. The premier insisted that Thaksin had never contacted him. "Even if Thaksin approaches me, there would be no negotiation because I am a state official. Everything has to proceed according to the justice system.

Prayut referred to former foreign minister Surapong Tohvichakchaikul's statement that he would return the passports to Thaksin if he became foreign minister again, saying the public and the justice system would decide if Surapong returns to the post.

Asked if he believed the revocation of the passports will spur the anti-government movement, Prayut said that was Thaksin's decision. He said Thaksin could do whatever he wanted but there would be consequences if he did.

Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr said he had assigned Lt-General Sarayuth Klinmahom, director of the Army's Judge Advocate Office, to file a complaint with police against Thaksin for allegedly insulting the Army in his interview.

Meanwhile Akanat Prompan, a former Democrat MP, said the government cancelled Thaksin's passports as he allegedly distorted information in the interview.

"It is true that Thaksin is still able to use the passports of other countries, it [revoking his Thai passports] is a symbol for society to see," said Akanat, who is also spokesman of the People's Democratic Reform Committee.

When Surapong was foreign minister, it was strange that Thaksin had a revoked passport returned to him despite being a fugitive, he said.

However he declined to comment on the calls for the government to strip Thaksin's police rank, saying that is up to the government.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Thaksin-may-lose-police-rank-30261160.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-29

[Lukecan]

Like he gives a flying <deleted>, the guy is a billionaire.

[ExPratt]

I don't think its a very smart plan to keep lashing out with meaningless actions. Neither removing his passport or this can hurt him in anyway , and exposes the Junta's real weakness where he is concerned , There last attack against him will be Jailing his sister. I think that may be a step too far for the rest of the world

Edited May 28, 2015 by ExPratt

[BSJ]

After he left the country to avoid jail would have been the right time to do it. Will he lose his pension entitlement as well???

Edited May 28, 2015 by BSJ

[Bocking]

... "according to police regulations, seven offences could lead to an officer being stripped of rank". Did I read that correctly? In a Nation where a garbage collector gets nailed to a cross for recycling CD's he'd found in the rubbish, there are still only seven offences that can lead to a Police Officer being stripped of rank?

[thesetat2013]

Unbelievable! Only in Thailand can you be a fleeing convicted felon and still be a police man with valid political and personal passports.

[borisloosebrain]

5555 LOL and every other 'so what' phrase I can think off...seriously.. I hope this wasn't done on taxpayers time.

[tbthailand]

Meanwhile, Somyot guaranteed that no personal feelings were involved when deciding whether to strip Thaksin of his rank.

said the vehemently anti-Thaksin top-cop named Somyot....

Thaksin's opponents are just being petty. This is getting ridiculous...

[ratcatcher]

"He revealed that according to police regulations, seven offences could lead to an officer being stripped of rank and Thaksin fell into one of them."

Thaksin fell into one of them?

Using that logic, I guess at least half the RTP should be under investigation and charges?

[T_Dog]

Why don't they just transfer him?

[coulson]

This is wearing very thin.

GP has been asked about it in a previous interview and steered away from any clear answer, yet we are again subjected to a new spin off about the same thing?

It clearly requires authoritarian decision to revoke such a rank and we have already read that this would not be a priority.

Take his passports, put him on trial etc, one thing at a time folks.

[coulson]

Why don't they just transfer him?

Yes, to Hat yai!

[Andreas2]

Why don't they just transfer him?

Exactly. But please, let it be an inactive post, yes?

They never cease to surprise me.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Andreas2

[ezzra]

This was an honorary rank, derived from the word Honor, clearly his honor went out the window together

with many other redeeming human qualities .. so yes, by all means, take it away from him...

[halloween]

Even when they strip the title, he'll still be rank.

[ratcatcher]

This was an honorary rank, derived from the word Honor, clearly his honor went out the window together

with many other redeeming human qualities .. so yes, by all means, take it away from him...

"This was an honorary rank,........."

Not so, according to history.

"......before resigning his commission in 1987 as a lieutenant colonel and leaving the police. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra#Police_career

"...and three years later was awarded a doctorate in criminal justice at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas." Wikipedia

Mr Thaksin does, however, know plenty about justice for criminals.

[halloween]

This was an honorary rank, derived from the word Honor, clearly his honor went out the window together

with many other redeeming human qualities .. so yes, by all means, take it away from him...

"This was an honorary rank,........."

Not so, according to history.

"......before resigning his commission in 1987 as a lieutenant colonel and leaving the police. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra#Police_career

"...and three years later was awarded a doctorate in criminal justice at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas." Wikipedia

Mr Thaksin does, however, know plenty about justice for criminals.

The rank becomes honorary when he leaves the service.

[ratcatcher]

This was an honorary rank, derived from the word Honor, clearly his honor went out the window together

with many other redeeming human qualities .. so yes, by all means, take it away from him...

"This was an honorary rank,........."

Not so, according to history.

"......before resigning his commission in 1987 as a lieutenant colonel and leaving the police. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra#Police_career

"...and three years later was awarded a doctorate in criminal justice at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas." Wikipedia

Mr Thaksin does, however, know plenty about justice for criminals.

The rank becomes honorary when he leaves the service.

Ah, thank you.

[jerojero]

Who cares!

[bristolgeoff]

He left long ago.but now it seems he will lose more things.he will never get back again

[Sydebolle]

Yet they refer to him as "former PM" rather than fugitive, run-away or similar. I also wonder if he gives a rats arse about his police grade.

I think the whole exercise is just pouring very dangerous fuel into a (presently) unlit fire; yet it takes little to ignition and next time it might be a bush fire of uncontrollable proportion - unless of course we want to see tanks using their ammo. Maybe this country is, like many other lovely places on this planet, just not governable with western patterns of democracy.

Bashing, blaming, rank stripping can create havoc among the uneducated ignorants - you've been warned!

[boomerangutang]

Stripping varnish off an old desk takes strong chemicals and reeks.

Even without his pretty police epullats, T still has a dozen official citations and commemorative medals.

[Tatsujin]

I don't think its a very smart plan to keep lashing out with meaningless actions. Neither removing his passport or this can hurt him in anyway , and exposes the Junta's real weakness where he is concerned , There last attack against him will be Jailing his sister. I think that may be a step too far for the rest of the world

Mmmmm ... removing his passport and stripping his rank doesn't hurt him in any way ... you're obviously not understanding Thailand/Thai's very well ... the loss of "face" on this one for him is massive.

After promising to keep quiet and not get involved with Politics again (a promise he's made many, many times and broken many, many times) he's brought this one down on himself. That ego of his just doesn't know when to shut up.

And as some others have already stated, this could/should have happened many years ago when he was first convicted of a crime with numerous other charges still awaiting his return, but I guess with his proxies in power subsequently the issue wasn't pressed, and in fact they went one step further and hand delivered overseas his shiny new Diplomatic passport that had previously been revoked.

[oneday]

Oh, come on and get this over with.

Just ground him for life and send him to his room without supper.

[halloween]

Yet they refer to him as "former PM" rather than fugitive, run-away or similar. I also wonder if he gives a rats arse about his police grade.

I think the whole exercise is just pouring very dangerous fuel into a (presently) unlit fire; yet it takes little to ignition and next time it might be a bush fire of uncontrollable proportion - unless of course we want to see tanks using their ammo. Maybe this country is, like many other lovely places on this planet, just not governable with western patterns of democracy.

Bashing, blaming, rank stripping can create havoc among the uneducated ignorants - you've been warned!

But isn't that what this whole exercise is about - stopping "uneducated ignorants" from electing and re-electing criminals who make unsustainable promises to get themselves into power? Did you expect that they would enjoy that process, with or without a bit of tarnish on their little tin god?

[DLang]

Really he has all the qualities for a promotion.

[mrfill]

"it was initially decided not to take the drastic action of stripping Thaksin's rank..."

Why is it described as drastic?

[FangFerang]

It seems rather obvious that he fled the country as a viable alternative to dying in prison.

Duh.

[sunshine51]

"Thaksin may lose police rank"....

Much ado about nothing.

[malcoml]

This has become a massive joke.

One thing I know is never back a Thai into a corner or they will come out fighting.

Thaskin would win an election if it was held tomorrow. They need to be very careful that he does not come flying back into town and take control of the country.