New police board member endorsed

BANGKOK, 3 October 2009 (NNT) – His Majesty the King has signed his royal command appointing Deputy Police Chief Police General Thawatchai Phailee as a new board member of the Royal Thai Police to replace Police General Suthep Thammarak who earlier resigned.

Police Lieutenant-General Jirote Chaichit, assistant secretary general of the police board, stated that His Majesty the King had given royal endorsement on the appointment of Police General Thawatchai as the replacement of Police General Suthep, who resigned from his police board member position.

After the royal endorsement for Police Lieutenant-General Jirote, which was granted in line with a police board resolution earlier, Police General Watcharapol Prasarnratchakij, former secretary general of the police board, said the new police board member would be qualified to vote for the next national police chief at the next police board meeting.

Earlier, the selection of the new police chief was indefinitely adjourned after Prime Minister Abhisit, as the chairman of the police board meeting, had initially failed to gain the majority votes in favor of Police General Pateep, who was his nominee. Two other prospective candidates for the top post of the Royal Thai Police are Deputy Police Chief Police General Chumpol Manmai and another deputy Police General Watcharapol Prasarnratchakij.