A committee has been set up to consider disciplinary and criminal action against four Thai police officers who are accused of providing vehicle escort services to Chinese tourists, from Suvarnabhumi airport to their hotels in Bangkok.

Pol Maj-Gen Archayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, said on Sunday that the national police chief, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat, issued an order on Friday for the appointment of a panel to consider what action should be taken against the police officers for gross misconduct, after a fact-finding committee discovered that the four officers used their private cars, illegally equipped by sirens and painted in police livery, to provide escorts to Chinese tourists.

The four officers have already been relieved of duty in the tourist and traffic police and have been moved to the operations centre of the Royal Thai Police, pending the outcome of the disciplinary probe.

Regarding criminal litigation, Pol Maj-Gen Archayon said that Suvarnabhumi police will be responsible for handling the case.

To prevent a repeat of such malpractice, another committee has been formed to study the relevant laws and regulations and to draw up a clear guidelines for police escort services for VIPs, he said, adding that, in addition to the officers accused of the wrongdoing, their superiors will also be held accountable.