Criminal Court sentences ex-DSI chief to two years imprisonment

BANGKOK, August 11 (TNA) - Thailand’s Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced a former chief of Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Tharit Pengdit to a two-year imprisonment for unlawfully transferring his subordinate identified as Pol Col Piyawat Kingket. The case occurred between March 30 and October 8, 2012 in which Mr Tharit and Charnchao Chaiyanukij, a former deputy permanent secretary for Justice, abruptly transferred Pol Col Piyawat, then commander of intellectual property case, to a specialist whose rank was lower. The Criminal Court ruled that the transfer was illegitimate and then permanent secretary for Justice also revoked the transfer order and ordered Pol Col Piyawat to his former position. The court also believed that Mr Tharit issued the order because of conflict in working. It imposed a two-year imprisonment on Mr Tharit but later freed him on a 200,000 baht bail, pending appeal. On the case of Mr Charnchao, the court dropped the charges due to lack of evidence. (TNA)