Permanent Secretary for Justice Minister Charun Pakdeethanaklu said that the Justice Minister Charnchai Likhitjittha had signed the transfer order for Sombat to report by November 6 to assist work at the ministry, while assigning deputy permanent secretary Kraisorn Barameeauychai, to be acting DSI chief.

Charun said the ministry had to transfer Sombat without waiting for the Police Commission's order because the process would have taken too long.

As the DSI has been under pressure to speed up its investigations into many key cases, especially the case of Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit, the transfer was inevitable, he added. He said the move would speed up the investigation and would help save the DSI from being "society's guilty party."

A source at the ministry said Kraisorn would be in the DSI top post for about 15 days, pending the Police Commission's approval to have Appeal Court Judge Sunai Manomaiudom - reportedly an honest person who stands up for what he believes - to become the DSI chief.

Sombat has been under fire during his leadership of the DSI, especially for the slowpaced investigation into the disappearance of Somchai two years ago, who was defending a group of Muslims charged with plotting attacks in the insurgencyplagued south.

Somchai went missing after publicly accusing police of torturing his clients while in custody.

The Nation