Thepchai: Out of all the senior police officers why were you chosen to replace Pol Gen Kowit Wattana?

Seripisut: I think the prime minister probably looked at seniority and past achievements - although I never new the PM before.

Did you hear anything about this earlier, any news?

There was no overture, but I did hear news from the media discussing who would step up as a replacement if the national police chief was ousted.

Do you think your image of being a tough, serious, and decisive officer helped you to stand out from the rest?

Throughout my career in the civil service, I didn't just wait for supervisors' orders. I would do whatever I regarded as my duty. So taking this post, I'm telling you frankly that I will perform my duties to the fullest of my ability, without waiting for the PM's orders. Whatever is not right, immoral, illegal including all crimes, gambling, drug abuse and vice, we cannot ignore them and they must be dealt with and put in order.

When you gave an interview to the media earlier yesterday, you seemed irritated about the image of the police, saying it had deteriorated. Why?

I think [previous] police appointments were probably inappropriate. And when

they are inappropriate, they can't perform their duties well.

Does it have anything to do with the organisation's leader?

I'm a straight shooter, so pardon me, and this is not about the former police chief - but certainly, the whole operation was the action of the leader of the organisation.

You served as an advisor in the past, how do you feel about the police having been in 'neutral gear' status all the time?

I reckon it stems from past appointments that put the wrong men in the wrong job and were made by abuse of authority. Even I myself did a lot of [crime] suppression last year and then was kept away.

Many other posts of police

commanders were inappropriate, so they could not do much and so we had the 'neutral gear' status.

You have a little less than one year in this position, how will you go about solving problems?

There are many solutions,

but I will meet and listen to the policy from the PM first. The initial solutions probably won't solve many problems because

all police positions have already been occupied, so the manpower adjustment could be carried out only to a small degree.

You said 'neutral gear'

police officers should be cautioned, what do you mean by that?

We are police officers with a duty to put society in order and create a peaceful state. His Majesty the King turns 80 this year, and everyone is campaigning to do good deeds to honour him. Being police officers, it's impossible for you to just sit still, letting society become plagued with problems, you must perform your duties to the best and those who do not, I guarantee, will surely face problems.