Police reform chief promises solid results

Call for transparency in appointments

Transparency in appointments and promotions in the police force will be the first priority in police reform, the newly appointed head of the police reform committee Boonsrang Niumpradit said yesterday.

He was speaking after meeting 35 other committee members. He said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the problem had affected overall efficiency and the general performance of police.

“The prime minister expected to see this issue fully reformed by the end of this year or as soon as possible, so positionbuying prevention would be the first task of the committee. He also said he is ready to support us by invoking his special power under Section 44 to solve problems if necessary,” Gen Boonsrang said.

Gen Boonsrang, a West Point graduate, said he would do his best as the public had been expecting police reform for a long time. He assured that he would do the job in a straightforward manner.

He said he was not afraid of any people because he was entrusted to do the job and he must accomplish it even though the committee has only nine months to complete its mandate.

“We will hold our first meeting next week at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters to discuss how many subcommittees need to be set up and who will be assigned to oversee each one. For now, I can say there will be one subcommittee responsible for public hearings,” he said.

Thammasat University rector Somkit Lertpaithoon will be appointed as the committee spokesman and deputy police chief Rungroj Sangkram will be appointed as secretary of the committee, Gen Boonsrang added.

Gen Boonsrang said he had full confidence in all committee members because all of them are experts and highly respected as moral authorities by those who used to work under them. He said they have enough experience, vision, knowledge and ability.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam who was also at the meeting said the police reform panel comprises five high-ranking state officials who are not in the police force, 15 academics from various agencies and 15 police officers; therefore he did not want the public to see the committee as a form of military interference.

“There won’t be interference from the military because the panel also comprises other members who are not soldiers and everyone has a vote,” he said.

Mr Wissanu said that the prime minister earlier approached many wellrespected people who have lengthy experience in the national security field to chair the police reform committee, but no one showed a genuine intention to do the job, so Gen Prayut approached Gen Boonsrang, a former supreme commander and a doctorate degree holder to be chairman.

Mr Wissanu said Gen Prayut suggested the police reform committee in the meeting to use a 2-3-4 formula to do its work. Two is two months for concluding what needs to be reformed such as the organisational structure, human resources administration and the decentralisation of the police force.

“Three is three months for legal affairs and bill drafting and four is four months for hearings from public and related parties, so the reform panel can complete its job within nine months,” he said.