The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday defended its performance, saying it has undergone a number of structural changes to boost efficiency and tackle new threats.
DSI spokesman Pol Col Songsak Raksaksakul said that as one of the country's law enforcement agencies, the department is committed to improving and setting enforcement priorities.
"The agency has undergone several structural changes. The latest one has broken up 10 bureaus and created 18 divisions to handle cases specified in the law governing the DSI," he said.
The divisions include those dedicated to crimes involving natural resources and the environment; human trafficking; underground loans and investment schemes; and tax crimes.
The DSI's remarks come after Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam disclosed on Thursday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha wanted to see the DSI overhauled so it can handle extraordinary cases rather than "doubling up" on regular police work.
He dismissed concerns about the DSI overlapping with the police, saying all such cases are reviewed and approved by the Special Case Committee.
"The committee has to vote to accept those cases and the DSI's involvement will ensure checks and balances in the justice administration system," he said.
Pol Col Songsak, also the DSI deputy chief, said the agency has helped the state save 350 billion baht since its formation in 2002.
He said the DSI has made substantial progress in reclaiming forest reserves and addressing violations of intellectual property.
On the latter subject, enough progress has been made that the US said in April it was prepared to consider taking Thailand off its Priority Watch List if the government continues taking positive steps.
Thailand has been on this list consistently since 2007 as its measures to stem counterfeit goods and deter wrongdoing were deemed inadequate.
According to Pol Col Songsak, the DSI once proposed it be merged with the Central Institute of Forensic Science to upgrade its working standards.
He said the number of officials at the agency who work on inquiries -- investigative work -- and who formerly served as police officers will drop to 1-2% of the total over the next five years.
The DSI has accepted 1,973 cases for special investigation since its launch. Of those, 716 involve economic crimes and 782 are intellectual property infringements or technology crimes.
A law governing the agency came into force in 2004, two years after its inception in 2002.
To jump-start operations there, some 200 police officers with investigative experience were transferred to the agency along with officials from the Revenue Department, Customs Department, Interior Ministry and other sources.
It now has a workforce of 1,500, comprising 1,200 civil servants and 300 other employees.
