Thai ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra stripped of police rank

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o- cha, in his capacity as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), signed an order on Saturday to strip former premier Thaksin Shinawatra of his police rank.

Prayut issued the order, which was published in the Royal Gazette and takes effect on Sunday, with the authority granted by Article 44 of Thailand's interim constitution.

According to the order, the Royal Thai Police proposed removing Thaksin's rank of police lieutenant colonel after he was sentenced guilty by a final court judgment and was also charged with several other criminal offenses, which was considered to be disgraceful.

Having examined police regulations on the removal of police ranks, the NCPO agreed to remove Thaksin's police rank on the ground that his case affected national stability, according to the order.

Source: XINHUA