All decisions will be based on investigation report, says Army chief on disappeared fuel
Army chief General Charoenchai Hinthao said the results of the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of 200,000 litres of fuel should be known by Friday.
Charoenchai, who took office as the new commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army on Sunday, said he has set Friday as the deadline for completing the investigation.
He also confirmed that he had not signed any orders transferring any of his subordinates after taking office on Sunday, adding that the only order he had signed was one assigning responsibilities to army chiefs.
“I will wait for the outcome of the probe before I make a decision on my order regarding the case,” Charoenchai said.
It was initially reported on Sunday that the Army chief had transferred ordnance chief Lt-General Sutha Adulthananusak to an inactive post at the RTA Secretariat over the disappeared fuel. However, the Army spokesperson came out to deny the reports a few hours later.
An Army source had been quoted on Sunday as saying that Sutha had been transferred to an inactive post due to the disappearance of high-speed fuel from the Ordnance Material Rebuild Centre in Saraburi last year. The centre, which falls under the 18th Military Circle, provides supplies to other military units.
Charoenchai also declined to respond when a reporter asked whether seven Army officers believed to be involved in the incident would face a graft probe by the National Anti-Corruption Commission over the fuel disappearance.
He also refused to say whether he would advise Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang to have Sutha transferred.
