Police panel fulfils its job to strip Thaksin of his rank with unanimous vote

[Lite Beer]

Police panel fulfils its job to strip Thaksin of his rank with unanimous vote

BANGKOK: -- The head of the police panel considering whether Thaksin Shinawatra should be stripped of his police rank reiterated Tuesday that his panel had already fulfilled its job after it resolved unanimously by 5 against 0 votes to take away the police rank.

Pol Gen Chaiya Siriamphankul, a police advisor and the panel chairman, disclosed that the five panelists extensively debated on the issue and, in the end, agreed in unison that the fugitive former prime minister should be stripped of his police rank.

He maintained that the panel was not biased against Mr Thaksin and did noty follow the instruction of anybody. “We are independently minded and we are transparent,” he said.

Regarding the observation by the police chief, Pol Gen Somyot Pumpunmuang, that the panel’s resolution was incomplete because it was not endorsed by the panelists, Pol Gen Chaiya said that it was a misunderstanding on a technical issue which has already been settled.

Meanwhile, Pol Gen Somyot pleaded with his critics not to quickly jump into conclusion that he would not proceed with the case. “I have my own judgement and I do not need any guidance. I have only two bosses who are Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan,” he said.

After having received the case from Pol Gen Chaiya, the police chief said he would have the Royal National Police Office’s legal team vet the legal aspect of the case to make sure that it is legally correct.

He insisted that the case must be handled with great care and he didn’t want to be sued after his retirement at the end of September.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/police-panel-fulfils-its-job-to-strip-thaksin-of-his-rank-with-unanimous-vote

-- Thai PBS 2015-06-02

[docshock13]

Wow! Not only does the story reek but so does the reporting.

Everybody in lockstep. Amazing.

P.S. Not a Shin supporter. Or a supporter of any side, colour, group etc. Just a supporter of people with integrity.

[webfact]

Police legal department to review decision to strip Thaksin of his rank
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- NATIONAL police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang said yesterday he would get the police legal department to check the decision to strip former PM Thaksin Shinawatra of his rank as a police lieutenant colonel was legitimate.

"As police chief, I must protect myself by checking carefully. If I give my signature and then there is a problem later, I will be the one who is sued. Four months after this, I want to step down from my post without having to go to court,'' Somyot said.

He said he sent documents related to the case on Thaksin's rank to General Chaiya Siri-ampunkul, chairman of a police committee that looks into officers' ranks, after finding that the papers were not complete as they had not been properly endorsed yet.

"I can exercise my judgement on the matter and I do not need anyone to recommend the decision. I have two direct bosses - one is Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the other Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan," Somyot said.

Chaiya said his committee made a decision freely to strip Thaksin of his police rank without any influence or instruction from anyone.

Thaksin escaped criminal punishment in Thailand by fleeing the country and is wanted for several corruption cases.

Chaiya said the committee resolved unanimously 5-0 to strip Thaksin of his rank. He also dismissed speculation that the committee was ordered to make such a decision. Two previous governments have considered stripping Thaksin of his police rank but failed to do so.

'In line with law'

"It was the first time that our committee was instructed by the police chief to make this decision. We debated and made the decision in a forthright manner in accordance with the rule of law and without bias.

"We are not worried even though there will be a change in government," he said.

He said his committee had no power to later change the decision to strip Thaksin of his police rank.

He denied that the committee failed previously to endorse such a decision for fear of future repercussions. He said it was just a misunderstanding about administrative procedures, explaining that members of the committee must give their signatures for attending the discussion.

The move to strip the former PM of his police rank came hot on the heels of a controversial interview that Thaksin gave in South Korea in which he claimed that privy councillors worked behind the scenes to support protests that led to the ousting of his sister Yingluck's government by the military a year ago.

The Foreign Ministry has also revoked Thaksin's passports.

National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Anusit Kanakorn said intelligence officials reported no political moves by the Thaksin camp after the former PM's passports were revoked plus news that his police rank may also be scrapped because of his record of fleeing the country to escape conviction over a controversial land deal.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Police-legal-department-to-review-decision-to-stri-30261482.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-03

[ezzra]

Meanwhile, Pol Gen Somyot pleaded with his critics not to quickly jump into conclusion that he would not proceed with the case. “I have my own judgement and I do not need any guidance. I have only two bosses who are Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan,” he said.

Wrong Mr Police general, your bosses should be your duty, morals and conscious, and above all,

your king and country .... all the others are here today gone tomorrow...

Edited June 2, 2015 by ezzra

[seajae]

their rank should be removed as soon as they are no longer in the force, maintaining it after you leave is stupid as you no longer have the legal ability to use it. All this is , is a face thing for these cretins, its all to make them sound/feel important when in fact they are not.

[MikeOboe57]

It is obvious why Somyot is stalling this rather simple procedure. He hopes to hand this hot potato to his successor.

There are several possible reasons for that.

1. He does not want to serve as lightning rod for Thaksin´s revenge when the latter (as Somyot apparently believes) comes back in pomp and glory.

2. He might have (I am speculating here) some "soft spots" in his career or his bank accounts/other assets, which are known to the Friends of Thaksin Club within the police force.

He may also be hoping for a decisive order from above so he can later claim he acted under duress against his personal conviction.

So many paratrooper badges in the picture and no balls.

[NongKhaiKid]

their rank should be removed as soon as they are no longer in the force, maintaining it after you leave is stupid as you no longer have the legal ability to use it. All this is , is a face thing for these cretins, its all to make them sound/feel important when in fact they are not.

Exactly which means removal of an honorary title or rank should be a simple exercise and not the Hollywood production surrounding the current situation.

Nothing is ever easy here of course and there's always that suggestion that there's something more behind making or avoiding a decision.

Edited June 3, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[Halion]

Days or rather years too late and a billion dollars short. Had they done their job in the first place this would all be a non issue however the RTP have a predilection to kiss the ass of the rich and influential.

[Mudcrab]

Right that's it!

We're unanimous on this!

Sign the order....errrr...no you go first.....no you go first.......no you go first.....

[Jonmarleesco]

'Pol Gen Chaiya ... insisted that the case must be handled with great care and he didn’t want to be sued after his retirement ...' Yep, Thaksin has always, at the drop of an aitch, proved ready to sue.

[bander]

I don't understand why they need to vote if a fugitive criminal should be striped his rang?

Only in this banana republic where anything is possible if you are rich.

[ratcatcher]

I don't understand why they need to vote if a fugitive criminal should be striped his rang?

Only in this banana republic where anything is possible if you are rich.

I know you don't mean that. Perhaps you should say a banana constitutional........................!

[phoenixdoglover]

At no time in Thai history have so many labored so long to achieve so little. Bravo!

[Robby nz]

Would have been nice if Abhisit had been given the same consideration of a legal review when his military rank was stripped from him by the PT minister of defense, regardless that the army said at the time that they had investigated him thoroughly years before and found he had done nothing wrong.

[graft]

Would have been nice if Abhisit had been given the same consideration of a legal review when his military rank was stripped from him by the PT minister of defense, regardless that the army said at the time that they had investigated him thoroughly years before and found he had done nothing wrong.

He did have the consideration of a legal review wrt his military status. He filed a petition against the order to remove his rank to the Administrative Court in November 2012. He was asked by the court to provide the paperwork that enabled him to dodge the draft by becoming a lecturer at Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, a document that is countersigned by the Interior Ministry. He couldn't do so. Make of that what you will, another court dealing with a libel case against Jatuporn certainly did.

The court did not find Jatuporn guilty of libel for accusing Abhisit of draft-dodging, saying the documents presented by Abhisit in his defence were suspect.The court said that although Abhisit testified that he was a student under the supervision of the Civil Service Commission and received a Sor Dor 41, which is an exemption for military draft, he could not produce the document in court.

Although Abhisit argued that he once showed the Sor Dor 20, the list of people exempted from military draft, with his name as the third on the list, to Parliament, the Sor Dor 20 cannot be used as an official draft exemption. Only the Sor Dor 41, which is countersigned by the Interior Ministry, is the legitimate document.

Abhisit also could not back his claim with solid evidence that he never used fake documents in applying to the academy.

The court said Jatuporn, who was then an opposition MP, had the right to check on the PM's integrity over military conscription before Abhisit assumed the post and Jatuporn also made the comment with an honest intention...................................Abhisit's lawyer Bandit Siripan said his client would appeal the ruling on the draft-dodging issue and warned the ruling party not to use the matter to its political advantage because the lower court decision was not final. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Jatuporn-handed-suspended-jail-term-for-defaming-A-30191262.html