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BANGKOK - Thailand's national police chief resigned on Wednesday, days after an anti-graft body held him responsible for deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and police last year.
General Patcharawat Wongsuwan handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva just hours after the premier shifted him to a desk job, following months of trying to remove the senior policeman.
But his resignation is likely to create tensions between the police force and the government less than two weeks before a major protest by supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission ruled on Monday that Patcharawat violated criminal law during a crackdown on anti-Thaksin "Yellow Shirt" demonstrators who surrounded parliament in October 2008.
Clashes between police and the protesters left two people dead and around 500 injured. The Yellow Shirts blockaded Bangkok's airports later that year, leading to the fall of the pro-Thaksin government of the time.
"I have submitted my resignation letter to the PM, I want to take a rest," Patcharawat told reporters. "I have served as a police officer for a long time, I have 21 days left before I retire."
Abhisit has already tried to remove Patacharawat several times and has been at odds with his allies in the ruling coalition over the appointment of a new chief to replace him.
He has accused Patcharawat, the younger brother of defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan, of obstructing an investigation into the attempted assassination of the leader of the "Yellow Shirt" movement in April.
"The case of Patcharawat may create a loophole and confusion, so to prevent such a scenario I will sign the order transferring the national police chief to Government House," Abhisit told reporters earlier.
"During that time I will appoint General Thanee Somboonsup as acting national police chief," he said.
The government is now likely to have fears about the commitment of the security forces to tackling protests by pro-Thaksin "Red Shirts" set for September 19, the third anniversary of the military coup that ousted Thaksin.
Thaksin himself is a former policeman.
The government has pledged tough action to prevent a repeat of events in April when Red Shirts derailed a major Asian summit in the seaside resort of Pattaya and then went on the rampage in Bangkok.
- AFP/ir
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