Comings and goings

Wichean is out as police-chief, "voluntarily" according to Deputy PM Chalerm Yubangrung, and Deputy police chief Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong is in.

Deputy police chief Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong emerges from the Royal Thai Police Office. The older brother of Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, the ex-wife of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is set to take over as national police chief.

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Priewpan poised for police chief

Wichean exits quietly as successor is named
  
Pradit Ruangdit & Aekarach Sattaburuth

The government has finally persuaded national police chief Wichean Potephosree to step down, in favour of his deputy, Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who was active in talks to persuade the police chief to leave –  ostensibly after he failed to keep a check on city casinos –  announced his departure yesterday. Pol Gen Priewpan takes over the top police job next week.

Pol Gen Priewpan is connected to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Pheu Thai Party's de facto leader, though the government was quick to urge the public yesterday to examine the incoming police chief's performance rather than his ties to the Shinawatras.

Pol Gen Priewpan is the elder brother of Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, the ex-wife of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's younger sister, asked critics not to pay attention to Pol Gen Priewpan's connection to her family but to focus on his work.

While Pol Gen Wichean's departure was relatively subdued, sparing the government potential political damage from a protracted struggle, Mr Chalerm could not resist the temptation to make a parting dig.

Pol Gen Wichean will now move to the post of National Security Council secretary-general.

Mr Chalerm said he wanted Pol Gen Wichean to be the NSC secretary-general because he was good at planning and thoughtful, but was not good at fighting crime like Pol Gen Priewpan.

"Pol Gen Wichean looks like an academic, while a drunk can get sober just by looking at Pol Gen Priewpan.

"So, who do you think I should use?" Mr Chalerm said.

He cited gambling dens and the spread of drugs as reasons for his decision to replace the police chief.

"When Pol Gen Priewpan takes office, gambling dens will disappear and pubs and bars will close on time. All horse racing machines will go," Mr Chalerm said.

Pol Gen Priewpan was the most senior among potential candidates and was good at fighting drugs.

Mr Chalerm said Pol Gen Wichean had written to the secretary-general to the prime minister to seek his transfer.

In the letter, Pol Gen Wichean confirms that he voluntarily sought the transfer and had not been forced to leave or been influenced by any politician.

Pol Gen Priewpan thanked his supporters and vowed to tackle drugs.

He planned to stop drugs entering the country through Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son provinces.

"Police working as small-time traffickers must stop. We have a list of police who are involved. We will make tangible progress within three months, though there will be no extra-judicial killings," Pol Gen Priewpan said.

You can read the full story here: http://bit.ly/qb84Fy

deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
emerge – to come out of ออกจาก
poised – about to do or achieve something ได้มาซึ่ง
exit – to leave ออก
successor – a person or thing that comes after someone or something and takes their/its place  ผู้สืบทอด, ดำรงตำแหน่งต่อ
persuade – to make someone agree to do something by giving them reasons why they should โน้มน้าวใจ เกลี้ยกล่อม
in favour of – supporting a person or an idea, proposal etc that you believe is right ยอมรับ, สนับสนุน
ostensibly – seeming or stated to be real or true, when this is perhaps not the case อย่างแสดงให้เห็นภายนอก
in check – under control ควบคุมไว้ได้
departure – leaving การออกจาก
de facto – in reality;  in fact อย่างแท้จริง, อันที่จริง, ตามความจริง
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
incoming – recently elected or chosen ใหม่
performance – the standard to which someone does something การกระทำ, การแสดง, การทำให้บรรลุผลสำเร็จ
ties – relations; connections ความสัมพันธ์
elder – older ที่อายุมากกว่า
critics – people who don’t like something and who state their opinion about it  นักวิจารณ์
focus – to give attention, effort, etc. to one particular subject, situation or person rather than another เพ่งความสนใจ
relatively – somewhat; in comparison with someone or something similar  ค่อนข้าง
subdued – quiet; not very loud or bright เงียบ, เงียบสงบ
spare – to prevent someone from having to experience something unpleasant ยกโทษให้,อภัยโทษ
potential – possible เป็นไปได้
protracted – lasting for a long time ที่ยืดเยื้อเป็นเวลานาน
struggle – a difficult fight or an attempt to defeat someone การต่อสู้เพื่อความอยู่รอด
resist – to stop yourself from having something you like or doing something you very much want to do อดทน, อดกลั้น, ทนต่อ
temptation – the desire to do or have something that you know is bad or wrong สิ่งล่อใจ, ,การล่อ
dig – a remark that is intended to annoy or upset somebody คำพูดที่ตั้งใจจะรบกวน
parting – leaving someone การอำลา, การจากกัน
parting dig – a final remark, especially an unkind one, that somebody makes as they leave
post – a job in a company or organisation ตำแหน่งการงาน
academic – someone who teaches at a college, or who studies as part of their job นักวิชาการ
drunk –  a person who has had too much alcohol to drink, i.e., drunk or intoxicated คนเมา
sober – not drunk (= not affected by alcohol) ไม่เมา (ยาหรือเหล้า)
cited – mentioned as an example, explanation or proof of something else อ้าง, กล่าวอ้าง
gambling – the activity of betting money, for example in a game or on a horse race การพนัน
den – a place where people meet in secret, especially for some illegal or immoral activity บ่อน
spread – to gradually affect or cover a larger area แพร่กระจาย
replace – to put a new person or thing in the place of someone or something แทน
take office – to begin to hold a position of power เริ่มปฏิบัติหน้าที่ที่ได้รับมอบหมาย
senior – with a high rank or position อาวุโส
candidate – one of the people being considered for a job ตัวแทนที่ส่งเข้ารับตำแหน่ง
transfer – to change someone’s job or responsibilities โยกย้ายตำแหน่ง
voluntarily – done because you choose to do it rather than because you have to ด้วยความสมัครใจ
sought (past tense of seek) – asked for something, or to tried to get somethingพยายามได้มา
influence – to affect or change how someone or something develops, behaves or thinks มีอิทธิพลต่อ, ชักจูง อำนาจบังคับ
vow – to make a formal and serious promise to do something สาบาน, ปฏิญาณ
tackle – to make an organised and determined attempt to deal with a problem จัดการกับปัญหา
trafficker – someone in the business of buying and selling  things illegally or of illegally transporting people for work in other countries or areas ผู้ลักลอบค้าสินค้าผิดกฎหมายหรือลักลอบขายแรงงานผิดกฎหมาย
involved – taking part or having a role in something เกี่ยวข้อง
tangible – real or not imaginary; able to be shown ชัดเจน
extra-judicial killing – a killing (normally carried out by police and often in self defence) that has not been officially approved by a court วิสามัญฆาตกรรม