The chief of the Phaya Thai police station in Bangkok has been transferred, allegedly for allowing a foreign correspondent to interview a co-leader of pro-election demonstrators at the police station.
Pol Maj Gen Senit Samransamruamkij, chief of the Metropolitan Police Division 1, said late Friday he had signed the order for the transfer of Pol Col Nitiwat Sansing, chief of the police station, to serve at the operation centre of the division.
He did not state the reason but Thai media quoted sources as saying a foreign reporter had interviewed Nuttaa Mahattana, a co-leader of the group demanding an early general election, in front of a cell at the station on Wednesday.
The inadequate supervision resulted in a bad image and is regarded as a misconduct under the Royal Thai Police regulations, they said.
The incident followed the arrest of the co-leaders after they agreed to turn themselves in on Tuesday.
The rally began at Thammasat University’s Tha Phra Chan campus on Monday evening.
In the morning, police tried to block them inside the campus but some who managed to get out marched to Government House to submit a letter to the prime minister. They wanted the premier to hold the general election this year instead of next year as promised earlier, citing five delays in the past.
But before they could reach the destination, they were blocked by thousands of policemen. Some of them were arrested while some co-leaders turned themselves in. In total, 15 people were detained. Nine of them, including Ms Nuttaa, were sent to the Phaya Thai police station.
They were charged with violating the junta’s order on political assembly and were released on bail on Thursday.
