Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Friday signed the transfer of National Police chief Seripisuth Temiyavej to the Prime Minister's Office shortly before his trip to Laos. The order is effective immediately.
Gen. Seripisuth, currently in southern Songkhla province, reportedly knew about the transfer already but still continued his work in the province, the Bangkok Post said on its website.
His deputy Patcharawat Wongsuwan becomes acting police chief.
Rumors about the transfer of Seripisuth circulated since early Friday, but it was not until in the afternoon that Pol Gen Patcharawat said he saw the transfer order.
A police source who asked not to be named also confirmed the news.
Samak, upon leaving Thailand to Laos in the morning, denied to comment on this matter. He only asked reporters where they heard the news from.
Seripisuth is the fourth chief moved from posts after the Samak government took office.
Sunai Manomai-udom, head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) was the first to be transferred, followed by the removal of Siriwat Tiptaradol as head of the Food and Drug Administration, and Pramote Ratthavinij as Public Relations Department (PRD) chief.
However, the source said the transfer of Seripisuth was not related with Thaksin Shinawatra, the former premier who firstly returned to Thailand after the military coup toppling him in 2006.
Source: Xinhua
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