After a long delay and ensuing public criticism and political complications surrounding the government, Pol General Wichean Potephosree was yesterday appointed the new Royal Thai Police commander.
After a unanimous 8-0 vote of support by the Police Commission yesterday, the former deputy chief will replace acting police chief General Patheep Tanprasert, who retires on September 30, after a royal endorsement is approved to make the commission's decision effective.
PM: everything is fine
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who chaired the Police Commission meeting, declined to comment on the appointment, saying only: "It is now over, everything is fine." He laughed when asked if he felt more comfortable after Wichean was chosen, but did not give a reply.
The Government House Twitter page carried a message announcing Wichean as the next police chief and expressing hope that he would lead the force to be a stronger agency.
After the commission meeting was over, deputy police chief General Priewpan Damapong, a potential candidate for the top post, threatened to file a complaint with the Central Administrative Court against Abhisit and the Police Commission alleging unfair treatment, as he was more senior than Wichean in the pecking order.
Priewpan, seen as an unfavourable choice because of his in-law relationship with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, late in the evening made an about-turn over his complaint, saying the paperwork was not ready.
The Police Commission spent 15 minutes vetting a nomination of Wichean tabled by Abhisit before its 8-0 approval vote. The Wichean nomination was reportedly the final item among many others on the agenda, and was brought up at 3pm, not long before the meeting was over.
The national police force has been without a commander for many months, with the government putting Patheep in the post of acting commander ahead of his retirement in October and in preference to deputy chief General Chumpol Manmai. He is due to retire at the same time as Patheep.
Politically neutral
Throughout his police career, in which he served mostly under the Office of the Royal Court Security Police, Wichean has been known for his relationship with all political powers
and his willingness to compromise along with political neutrality. He is said to get along well with politicians of all colours and is frequently consulted by them on political and security issues.