Treat Thaksin like any fugitive, Abhisit tells govt

"The Pheu Thai Party has often raised the issue of double standards during its campaigning, therefore it should not rely on double standards to rescue Thaksin," he said in reference to a petition seeking a pardon for the ex-PM.

Last week the Corrections Department forwarded the petition to Justice Minister Pracha Promnok for a final review. The red shirts spearheaded and solicited 3.6 million signatures in 2008 to seek a pardon on Thaksin's behalf. Following checks, some 2 million signatures could be verified.

Abhisit said when the People Power Party was in power, the then government set the legal guidelines not to forward a pardon petition to the Royal Palace if the case involved a fugitive. The party was disbanded before morphing into Pheu Thai.

"I hope Pheu Thai will treat Thaksin like any other fugitives," he said.

He also deplored the government for lacking justification in removing national police chief General Wichean Potephosree.

"It appears that the transfer of Wichean is just to satisfy someone who wants the job," he said in reference to the pending appointment of General Priewpan Damapong who is the elder brother of Khunying Pojaman na Pombejra, ex-wife of Thaksin.

Senator Direk Thungfang said the opposition Democrats had gone overboard in opposing Priewpan to succeed Wichean.

The government had already explained why Priewpan should get the job, he said, adding that Wichean would also be moved to an equally important position as secretary-general of the National Security Council.

"Reconciliation will remain illusive as long as the rival camps continue to smear one another," he said.

Bangkok residents appear split over the issue of the police top job as one in two people voiced disapproval on the pending transfer of Wichean, and about half were not confident that Priewpan could do a better job in suppressing vice and illicit drugs, Abac Poll said in the survey released yesterday.

The survey was conducted among 1,259 respondents from Thursday to Saturday.

Should Priewpan replace Wichean, his top priority should be drug suppression, the survey said.

In a separate development on the military reshuffle, Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha dismissed speculation about a delay due to the nomination of a new permanent secretary for Defence.

Yuthasak said the list for the military line-up was completed last week and would be submitted soon to the prime minister who will in turn forward it for royal endorsement.

He said he saw no reason why the annual military rotations should be delayed.

He admitted to making some off-the-record remarks about the picking of the permanent secretary. His remarks were later mentioned out of context in the press and he had already told reporters about their lopsided reporting, Yuthasak said.