Police Chief under fire for Hong Kong trip

National police chief Priewpan Damapong has come under fire after leaving the country to meet fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Hong Kong.

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National police chief Priewpan Damapong has enjoyed good relations with the Thai media, but he will likely face tough questions when he returns from meeting ousted PM Thaksin in Hong Kong. File Photo

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Critics blast top cop's Thaksin trip

Meeting with fugitive leader called unethical

POST REPORTERS

National police chief Priewpan Damapong has come under fire after leaving the country to meet fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Hong Kong.

Anti-Thaksin critics said Pol Gen Priewpan either breached the law or seriously violated professional ethics in failing to arrest the former leader.

As national police chief, Pol Gen Priewpan had to arrest Thaksin when he met him, they claimed.

Thaksin is in self-imposed exile to escape a two-year prison term for helping his wife purchase a plot of state land in Bangkok during his stint as premier.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung Wednesday responded to the criticism saying he did not think Pol Gen Priewpan violated any law by meeting his former brother-in-law, who is celebrating his 63rd birthday in Hong Kong today.

"Why was it inappropriate?" Mr Chalerm shot back when asked to comment by reporters.

He said Pol Gen Priewpan had taken leave to travel to Hong Kong, and could not be considered to have failed to perform his duty because the national police chief had no duties to perform overseas.

"Our laws do not apply in Hong Kong," Mr Chalerm said.

"The point of dereliction of duty will apply when there is a duty to do. If that happens in Thailand, it can be considered as dereliction of duty."

Asked if he was planning to take disciplinary action against Pol Gen Priewpan, Mr Chalerm said he would not take any such action.

"I will only ask what the [ex-] brothers [in-law] discussed," he said, adding those who criticised the government never looked at things positively.

Pol Gen Priewpan left for Hong Kong from Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday morning to extend his birthday wishes to Thaksin.

He reportedly took leave of duty on Tuesday to make the trip.

Pol Gen Priewpan told reporters he had only accepted Thaksin's invitation and they had no special issues to discuss.

Wanchai Sornsiri, a senator and an executive member of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, commented that Pol Gen Priewpan did not commit any wrongdoing by meeting Thaksin abroad.

He said the national police chief was duty-bound to arrest a violator of the law with an outstanding arrest warrant against him, but if the violator was in another country a Thai arrest warrant could not be applied.

Authorities would instead have to use diplomatic channels to seek extradition from overseas.

However, the senator questioned Pol Gen Priewpan's professional ethics.

"Although travelling to meet Thaksin does not violate the law, it shows a disregard for ethics and this is a serious problem for a government official. This is very much inappropriate," Mr Wanchai said.

In 2008, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders sentenced Thaksin to two years in prison for helping his former wife Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra buy prime state land in the Ratchadaphisek area of Bangkok when he was prime minister in 2003.

Thaksin fled the country after receiving bail to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics just before the court handed down its sentence.

Pol Gen Priewpan is an elder brother of Khunying Potjaman. He will retire on Sept 30.

relations – the way in which two people, groups or countries behave towards each other or deal with each other ความสัมพันธ์
media – newspapers, television, radio, etc. สื่อ
tough – difficult to deal with ยาก  ยากลำบาก
ousted – forced out of a position of power ขับออกจากอำนาจ
critic – a person who expresses disapproval of somebody/something ผู้วิจารณ์, ผู้จับผิด, ผู้วิเคราะห์
blast – to criticise severely วิพากษ์วิจารณ์อย่างรุนแรง
fugitive – someone who has been accused of doing something illegal and is trying to avoid being caught by the police ผู้หลบหนี
unethical – morally wrong, or against accepted standards of behaviour, especially in a particular profession ซึ่งผิดศีลธรรมจรรยา
come under fire – to receive strong criticism ถูกวิพากวิจารณ์
breach – a failure to follow a law or rule การละเมิดกฎหมาย
violate – to do something that is against a law, rule or agreement ฝ่าฝืน, ละเมิด
professional ethics – a set of principles people use to decide what is right and what is wrong relating to a particular type of job or career จริยธรรมทางด้านอาชีพ
arrest – (of the police) to take someone to a police station because they are believed to have committed a crime จับกุม
claim – to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it อ้าง
self-imposed – of something that you do yourself to do rather than being forced by someone else อย่างสมัครใจ
exile – a situation in which you live in a foreign country because you feel you cannot live in your own country, usually for political reasons การลี้ภัย การถูกขับออกนอกประเทศ
prison term – a length of time someone is required to stay in prison ระยะเวลาที่จำคุก
plot – a piece of land used for a particular purpose ที่ดินแปลงเล็ก
state – government รัฐบาล
stint – a period of time spent doing something ช่วงเวลาที่ทำสิ่งใดสิ่งหนึ่ง
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
criticism – comments that show that you think something is wrong or bad การวิจารณ์
brother-in-law – the brother of your husband or wife, or the man who is married to your sister, or the man who is married to the sister of your wife or husband พี่เขยหรือน้องเขย
inappropriate – unsuitable ซึ่งไม่เหมาะสม
leave – a period of time when you are allowed to be away from work for a holiday/vacation or for a special reason  การลาหยุด, การลาพัก
consider – to regard as; to think of as ถือว่า
perform a duty – to do what your job requires  ปฏิบัติหน้าที่
overseas – connected with foreign countries, especially those separated from your country by the sea or ocean เกี่ยวกับต่างประเทศ, ข้ามทะเล
apply – to concern or relate to somebody/something ทำให้เกี่ยวข้องกับ, ทำให้มีผลต่อ
dereliction of duty – a serious failure to do the things that you are responsible for in your job การละทิ้งหน้าที่
disciplinary action – punishment of people who do not obey the rules  การลงโทษเนื่องจากการฝ่าฝืนวินัย หรือระเบียบ
positively – in a good way ในทางบวก
reporter – someone whose job is to write articles or make broadcasts about events in the news ผู้สื่อข่าว, นักข่าว
invitation – a written or spoken request asking someone to meet you or to do something with you คำเชิญ
issue – a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
senator – a member of the Senate  วุฒิสมาชิก
commit – to do something wrong or illegal ทำความผิด
abroad – in or to a foreign country  ในต่างประเทศ
duty-bound – required by your job or assignment ขอบข่ายหน้าที่หรืองานที่ได้รับมอบหมาย
outstanding – not yet paid, done, solved, etc ค้าง
arrest warrant – a document signed by a judge allowing police to arrest someone หมายจับ
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
diplomatic – relating to relations between countries เกี่ยวกับการทูต
channel – a way of communicating with people or getting something done ช่องทาง
extradition – sending someone accused of a crime back to the country where the crime was committed for trial or punishment  การส่งผู้ร้ายข้ามแดน
disregard – not respecting something or considering it important ความไม่เอาใจใส่, ความเฉยเมย, ความเพิกเฉย
Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions – a trial court in a case where the Prime Minister, a minister, member of the House of Representatives, senator or other political official is accused of becoming unusually wealthy, committing crimes with in office, performing duties dishonestly, or being corrupted according to other laws.  ศาลฎีกา แผนกคดีอาญาของผู้ดำรงตำแหน่งทางการเมือง
sentence – (of a court of law) to give a punishment ลงโทษ
prime – of the best quality ที่ดีที่สุด
fled (past of flee) – escaped; left an area very quickly because of a danger there หนีไป
bail – money that is given to a court when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. If they do not return for the trial, the court keeps the money  เงินประกัน; การประกันตัว
elder – older ที่อายุมากกว่า
retire – to stop working because you have reached the age where you are officially too old to work เกษียณอายุ