Pol Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang, commissioner of the Border Patrol Police Bureau, was transferred to lead the Immigration Bureau (IB) at a meeting of the Police Board presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday (Apr 19).
Gen Prawit declined to elaborate on the sudden removal of Maj Gen Surachate, who is believed to have close ties with him.
“No panel will be set up to investigate Pol Lt Gen Surachate. The case is closed,” he said.
Police chief Gen Chakthip Chaijinda said Gen Sompong would replace Gen Surachate while Pol Lt Gen Wichit Paksa, commander of the Commissioner-General’s Office and police officer attached to the National Security Council, will replace Gen Sompong as the border patrol police commissioner.
The reshuffle, which involves 55 positions ranging from major general to general, will take effect after it is published in the Royal Gazette.
Gen Chakthip on April 5 transferred Gen Surachate from the Immigration Bureau to the central operation centre at the National Police Office and removed him from all task forces.
Four days later, the cabinet approved his transfer to the Prime Minister's Office as a civilian. On the same day, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha used his special powers under Section 44 of the interim charter to add him to the list of civil servants suspended pending an investigation for irregularities.
Gen Surachate shot to fame after he was assigned several high-profile cases. He regularly held briefings on arrests involving at least 2-3 cases a day, ranging from street racing to the illegal entry of foreigners. He was chief of the tourist police before leading the immigration police.
Read original story here.