Adul assigned to supervise crowd control
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Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, seen as close to the Democrats, has been assigned to take charge of crowd control in the face of the political volatility.
Adul, deputy national police chief seconded to lead the Office of Narcotics Control Board, is to assume an extra responsibility for security affairs in the Royal Thai Police, as per the order issued by national police chief General Priewpan Damapong on Wednesday.
Priewpan’s order coincided with the volatility in which the red- and yellow shirts were gearing to resume street protests.
The yellow shirts organised two rallies last week and threatened to resume protesting if the government refused to abandon its push to enact the reconciliation bill, which many saw as a pretext to grant amnesty for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The red shirts are scheduled tomorrow to rally at Parliament demanding the impeachment of the Constitution Court judges. The reds want to remove the judges who issued an injunction on the parliamentary vote for the charter change.
Many see Priewpan as shuffling the police line-up to cope with any political scenarios.
Last week Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt General Winai Thongsong and Metropolitan Police Region 1 commander Maj General Wichai Sangprapai were seconded to the police headquarters for 30 days.
The two are seen as “doves” for their records on crowd control.
Provincial Police Regions acting commissioner Maj General Kamronwit Thoopkrajang, seen as a “hawk”, will assume Wina’s responsibilties for a month.
Priewpan seems to have adopted a two-pronged strategy – designating Adul to reason with the opposition and having Kamronwit ready to rein in the anti-government protesters if talks fail.
Kamronwit, seen as close to the reds, will likely be a designated officer to handle the pro-government rallies.
