Writer: PRADIT RUANGDIT and WASSANA NANUAM
Published: 12/08/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
National police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwon denies he is being sent to the far South this week in a renewed attempt to sideline him politically.
Pol Gen Patcharawat returned early from a trip to China at the weekend and was immediately re-assigned to the South.

Pol Gen Wichien Pojphosri has been appointed acting police chief in the absence of Pol Gen Patcharawat at police headquarters in Bangkok.

The police chief's absence is believed to have helped speed up the investigation into the attempted murder in April of People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul.

Political sources say the leave was also intended to prevent Pol Gen Patcharawat from reviewing the police reshuffle list before it takes effect ahead of Oct 1.

Pol Gen Patcharawat cut short his 10-day visit to China by six days and returned home on Aug 8.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva then assigned the police chief to the far South to follow up insurgency operations. Pol Gen Wichien will continue to fill in for him while he is away.

Pol Gen Patcharawat, who will remain in the South until Aug 18, yesterday said no one in the government had pressured him to go to the troubled region.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday said he had ordered Pol Gen Patcharawat to work in the South for about a week to speed up investigations into many insurgency-related cases.

A source said there were worries Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, the police chief's elder brother, might not be happy to see Pol Gen Patcharawat being cast aside.

Gen Prawit was reported to have attended yesterday's cabinet meeting for only 15 minutes. He left after asking Mr Abhisit to be excused because there was nothing on the meeting agenda affecting the Defence Ministry.

Mr Abhisit had Mr Suthep and the prime minister's secretary-general, Niphon Phromphan, present Gen Prawit with a birthday bouquet on the occasion of his 64th birthday yesterday.

Gen Prawit refused to comment when asked by reporters about his brother's situation. "I'd rather keep quiet about this," he said, looking stressed.