Thailand's new national police chief appointed

BANGKOK, August 20 (TNA) - The Royal Thai Police Board has resolved to appoint Deputy National Police Chief Police General Somyot Poompanmoung as the new national police chief. The 10th National Police Commissioner was appointed at Wednesday's meeting of the Royal Thai Police Board, held at the Royal Thai Army headquarters in Bangkok, which was chaired by Thai Army and National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha and attended by other concerned authorities. Police General Somyot and another deputy national police chief, Police General Aek Angsananont, were two most potential candidates contesting the position, as proposed by Acting National Police Chief Police General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, who retires on September 30, 2014. The other three candidates included two other deputies national police chief and an inspector at the Royal Thai Police. Police General Watcharapol was appointed the acting national police chief by the NCPO, replacing Police General Adul Saengsingkaew, after the junta took control of the national administration on May 22, 2014. (TNA)