Thread: CDR Boots Out Immigration Police Chief Suwat

Thaksin's cronies get shown door

Military, police reshuffle lists to be revised

By Wassana Nanuam & Wassayos Ngamkham

The military and police are poised to flush remnants of Thaksin Shinawatra's regime from key positions to prevent counter activities in the aftermath of the coup, sources said yesterday. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, army chief and head of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM), has reportedly revised the army's annual military reshuffle and asked the air force and the navy to do the same.

The new Police Commission, appointed on Friday after CDRM's 18th announcement, is expected to review the police reshuffle list when it meets today.

Sources said the army and police lists are likely to see drastic changes.

Gen Sonthi reportedly told defence permanent secretary Gen Sirichai Tunyasiri and the CDRM members last week to reconsider the military list.

Gen Sonthi has shifted Mr Thaksin's close aides and former classmates at the armed forces preparatory school from key posts to prevent them from mobilising resistance, the sources said.

To be booted upstairs are assistant army chief Gen Pornchai Kranlert, First Army Corps commander Lt-Gen Jirasit Kesakomol, First Army Division chief Maj-Gen Prin Suwandhat, Cavalry Division commander Maj-Gen Sanit Prommat, Anti-Aircraft Division chief Maj-Gen Ruangsak Thongdee and Third Army deputy chief Maj-Gen Manas Paorik.

The sources said the Defence Ministry has dropped the nomination of Lertrat Rattanavanich, Supreme Command chief of staff, as defence permanent secretary. Gen Lertrat was reportedly nominated with Mr Thaksin's blessing.

The post is likely to go to Vinai Patthiyakul, secretary-general of the National Security Council and CDRM secretary-general, or to deputy defence permanent secretary ACM Tharet Poonsri.

Gen Vinai has also been reportedly approached by the CDRM to be interior minister in the interim government.

Gen Boonsang Niampradit is tipped to succeed Gen Ruengroj Mahasaranont as supreme commander.

Gen Sonthi's lieutenants in the coup, First Army Region chief Lt-Gen Anupong Paochinda and Third Army Region chief Lt-Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr, will be promoted to assistant army commanders.

The Police Commission, chaired by national police chief Pol Gen Kowit Wattana is likely to banish cronies of Mr Thaksin, former deputy interior minister Chidchai Wannasathit and Pol Gen Priewphan Damapong, brother of Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra, from key posts.

The CDRM has reportedly issued a list of 18 police officers who could pose a threat to national security if they were to remain in their current posts.

''This commission will make changes to the reshuffle list. Among those facing the axe is Wongkot Maneerin, Mr Thaksin's classmate at the Police Academy. He is likely to stay where he is,'' said a source.

Pol Lt-Gen Wongkot was nominated as a deputy national police chief, bypassing his senior and assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Charnwut Watchrapuk.

The others to be shifted to inactive posts due to their close affiliations with Mr Thaksin include Special Branch Police chief Pol Lt-Gen Thaworn Chanyim, Immigration Police chief Pol Lt-Gen Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, Police Region 4 chief Pol Lt-Gen Sathaporn Duangkaew, Central Investigation Bureau chief Pol Lt-Gen Montri Chamroon, Crime Suppression Division chief Pol Maj-Gen Winai Thongsong, 191 Police chief Pol Maj-Gen Sumeth Ruangsawat, Metropolitan Police Division 5 chief Pol Maj-Gen Kosin Hinthao, Metropolitan Police Division 7 chief Pol Maj-Gen Boonsong Panich-attra, and Special Branch Police Division 3 chief Pol Maj-Gen Atthakrit Thareechat who is providing security for Mr Thaksin in London.

Bangkok Post : General news

Looks like his 15 minutes of fame over the John Mark Karr case is all he'll ever get.

Heard he'll go off & start a BG-Gee's Blues Band - sang a song to Karr before he left