THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Police head transferred after girls destroy charter poll voter lists

Police head transferred after girls destroy charter poll voter lists

A DISTRICT police chief in Kamphaeng Phet has been transferred following the destruction of eligible voter lists for the August 7 charter referendum in the province, a source said yesterday.

Pol Colonel Ithi Chamnanmor, superintendent of Khanu Woralaksaburi Police Station has been transferred to work at Police Region 6.
Pol Colonel Suthat Monsawat, Kamphaeng Phet provincial deputy chief, has been moved in as caretaker superintendent in his place.
The source said Ithi was transferred because of an alleged delay in reporting to superiors and the destruction of the documents that are state property under his watch.
Police investigation into the incident found that two eight-year-old girls tore up the papers without knowing the significance of the papers. They were released without being charged.
The voter lists were destroyed at 11am on Saturday during a monk-ordination ceremony at Hong Thong Temple, near Wachirasarn Suksa School in Khanu Woralaksaburi district, where the polling station for the upcoming charter referendum is located. 
A number of people were seen at the polling station, including some intoxicated adults. The girls, who lived not far away, normally came to the school every day to play with other children. 
Following the destruction of the papers, concerned officials met and discussed the case on Sunday. Kamphaeng Phet provincial chief Pol Maj-General Damrong Petpong took over the investigation and police wrapped it up on Monday.
Ithi reported the destruction to his superiors on Sunday evening, which was considered a delay. He had been required to immediately report to the Region 6 Police and the Royal Thai Police. 
Those close to Ithi said he was ready to accept the transfer as ordered.
Reports of the destruction of voter lists have prompted the Interior Ministry to give the green light to local administrators and provincial “order maintenance” centres nationwide to intensify monitoring to ensure stability and to apply tough legal measures against provocateurs, while reporting such incidents to the ministry.
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