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Published on February 21, 2008

He was a Bangkok House candidate under the People Power Party in the December 23 election but failed to win the seat.

While several PPP figures were competing for the post, Wichianchot's name came up at the very last minute. He is said to be Thaksin's pick.

Wichianchot is one of the nine National Counter Corruption Commissioners whom the Supreme Court found in May 2005 guilty of abusing their power by awarding themselves a pay rise - 18 months after he assumed the post in November 2003.

Wichianchot was the country's first police officer to earn a doctorate in criminology. He graduated from the University of Florida a year before former deputy prime minister Purachai Piumsombun, who also studied there.

He also received a master's degree in judicial procedure from Eastern Kentucky University one year before fellow student Thaksin Shinawatra.

Wichianchot began his police career in 1971. His last post in the police force was deputy commissioner of the Police Cadet Academy before

he was appointed deputy permanent secretary of the Justice Ministry in 2000 before Thaksin assumed the premiership.

Wichianchot denies Thaksin introduced him to his brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, the Justice Ministry permanent secretary. He said he had known Somchai since they studied together at the National Defence College in 1995.

He is also a close friend of former national police commissioner Sant Sarutanond, who was in the same Police Cadet Academy 24th class.

Wichianchot helped form the Department of Special Investigation and has taught judicial procedure and criminology at Mahidol University since 1978.

He also lectures at Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, Kasetsart University and the National Institute of Development Administration.

The Nation