Thai police gets new chief

Thai police gets new chief

BANGKOK (AFP): A Thai police committee yesterday appointed Pracha Promnok as chief of the country's troubled police force, reports said.

Pracha, who has been acting police chief since his predecessor was effectively dismissed last week, was appointed by a police committee headed by Interior Minister Sanoh Thienthong, a radio report said.

Former chief Pochana Boonyachinda was transferred to the prime minister's office last Friday in a move Sanoh said was aimed at reshuffling the police department in line with the policies of the new government.

Pochana's transfer came as the department has been under heavy fire over its perceived failure to deal with crime and amid an uproar over the killings of six alleged drug traffickers in a shootout with police.

Since his appointment last month, Sanoh has vowed to devote his time to fighting crime, in particular activities related to drug trafficking.