Patcharawat resigns

National police chief Pol General Patcharawat Wongsuwan yesterday decided to call it quits a few hours after being transferred to an inactive post at the Prime Minister's Office.

His abrupt resignation raised the spectre of increased political tensions within the Democrat-led coalition government.

Patcharawat is the younger brother of Prawit, the powerful defence minister and who is closely allied with the Bhum Jai Thai Party, a key partner of the coalition government.

Bhum Jai Thai, which has 32 MPs, was instrumental in installing Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister last December.

Sources said the rift between the ruling Democrat Party and Bhum Jai Thai could deepen following Patcharawat's abrupt resignation.

Patcharawat, who will reach mandatory retirement age at the end of this month, said he wanted a rest.

Prime Minister Abhisit earlier yesterday named deputy police chief General Thanee Somboonsap as caretaker chief following Patcharawat's transfer.

The transfer decision was made after Abhisit met with Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Niphon Promphan, secretary-general to the prime minister.

Patcharawat's transfer came two days after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) found grounds to seek both criminal and disciplinary action against the outgoing police chief for his involvement in the police crackdown on an anti-government protest outside Parliament last October 7.

The protest was organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy. One protester was killed and many others were injured when police fired tear gas into the crowd.

Abhisit said he met with Suthep, who is in charge of security affairs, to discuss the legal consequences of the NACC's decision, particularly regarding the police chief.

He said the law stipulated any high-ranking official indicted by the NACC must be suspended from duty immediately.

However, since the PM's Office had not received formal notice from the NACC, he needed to transfer Patcharawat out of his office, to avoid legal problems, the prime minister explained.

Suthep said Patcharawat could carry on with his job pending, the government's decision on his disciplinary punishment.

A Government House source said Suthep and Niphon met with Abhisit in his office for one-and-a-half hours during lunchtime yesterday.

The NACC said its ruling took immediate effect and that disciplinary proceedings could be launched without having to wait for its report, expected to be released next Tuesday.

Niphon yesterday denied media speculation he had had differences with his boss, Abhisit, over the naming a new police chief.

"I'm just a subordinate. How can I oppose my superior?" he asked.

Niphon said he had never had any disagreements with the prime minister, and hence there was no reason to clear up any supposed "misunderstandings" about whom Abhisit should pick to lead the police service.

He said he had no idea how the row would be resolved, because he was not a board member tasked with endorsing Abhisit's candidate for the post.

Press reports earlier said the prime minister wanted Pol General Patheep Tanprasert as the next police chief, while Suthep and Niphon backed Pol General Jumpol Manmai.