The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases granted a police request today (Monday) to have six police officers detained for 12 days, pending investigation into their alleged misconduct in abetting the escape of two murder suspects and destroying evidence.

The court also rejected bail applications for the six officers, on the grounds that they may attempt to escape or tamper with evidence related to the fatal shooting at the house of Praween Chanklai, aka “Kamnan Nok”, the chief of Ta Kong sub-district in Mueang district of Nakhon Pathom last Wednesday night, in which one highway police officer was killed and another injured.

The six officers, including four superintendents, were at Praween’s house at the time of the shooting. Some of them are accused of aiding and abetting in the escape of Praween and his body guard, the gunman, while others removed the CCTV server from the house.

Praween is currently detained for questioning, while the gunman, “Nong”, was shot and killed by police in Kanchanaburi province last week while trying to evade arrest.

It is reported that police will also seek court warrants for the arrests of six employees at the house, who are alleged to be involved in destroying evidence.

Meanwhile, the commander of Nakhon Pathom provincial police, Pol Maj-Gen Chakkrit Kruasunthornvanich, and Pol Col Phuphon Tapcharoen, the superintendent of Mueang district, were removed from their posts with immediate effect today, by Pol Lt-Gen Anayut Wuthicharasthamrong, the commissioner of the Region 7 Provincial Police Bureau.

The removal of the two senior officers is intended to ensure transparency in the ongoing investigation into the conduct of numerous Nakhon Pathom police officers who were found to have been at Praween’s house last Wednesday.

Pol Maj-Gen Wattana Yeejine, deputy commissioner of the Region 7 Provincial Police Bureau, was appointed the acting commander of Nakhon Pathom police and Pol Col Pongsakorn Upphapong, the incumbent deputy commander, has been appointed the acting superintendent of Muang district police.