A police captain photographed wearing a uniform shirt with jeans and brown suede shoes at a road checkpoint in Mukdahan province has explained he had been on a plainclothes assignment and was interrupted changing into his uniform.
The officer was spotted by motorists passing through the checkpoint in this northeastern province on Thursday.
A woman took photos of him from her vehicle and posted them on her Facebook page. The images were quickly shared online and drew many comments from netizens, who mostly gave him laugh stickers.
The Royal Thai Police Office social media centre said on its Facebook page on Friday that the officer was based at Nong Sung Tai police station.
Pol Lt Col Uthai Pengtham, acting chief of the station, explained that the police captain was assigned to duty at the checkpoint from 1pm on Thursday. He was in the process of changing his clothes and putting on his full police uniform. He went out to talk to fellow officers manning the checkpoint and stood on the roadside. That's when the photos were taken by a passing motorist, he said.
The officer was ordered to report to his superior. He was initially given a warning about inappropriate dress and would be disciplined, the police media centre post said.
The officer was later identified as Pol Capt Rakchart Khamsaenkhot, deputy investigation chief at Nong Sung Tai.
He has been moved to the provincial police office on the order of Pol Maj Gen Apichart Thianpermpoon, chief of Mukdahan police.
Pol Capt Rackhart said he was head of a plainclothes team and had been out earlier on a drugs case.
As it was time to set up the checkpoint, he rushed to the designated sspot. While he was changing clothes near his vehicle a subordinate called out and asked for advice on setting it up.
He walked away from the car to the roadside to help, and that was when the photos were taken.
