Also joining Gen Somyot, who only recently said that Thailand needed another 9,000 officers to bolster the ranks of the Royal Thai Police nationwide (see story here), was Deputy Commissioner-General Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Royal Thai Police spokesman Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri gave Phuket’s high-profile tourism industry and the number of large conferences held on the island as two key reasons for the move.
“Moving the Region 8 head office from Surat Thani to Phuket has been Royal Thai Police policy since 2008. Phuket has lots of tourists, and many international conferences are held here,” he said.
“Construction started in 2012, and the officers started to move in on Saturday (August 1). Also, accommodation for the officers [moving to Phuket] is prepared and ready.”
The move marks the end of 22 years of Region 8 Police calling Surat Thani home. The Region 8 office there, in Phunphin district, closed on Friday (July 31).
The new headquarters comprises the main office building, official accommodation, a training field and a sports field, covering a total of 185 rai, two ngan and 13 square wah (296,852sqm), staffed by about 183 officers.
The entire project cost an estimated B169 million.
Region 8 Police, headed by Commissioner Lt Gen Decha Butnamphet, oversees police operations in seven Southern Thailand provinces: Ranong, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket.
Assisting Gen are Deputy Commissioners: Maj Gen Krajang Suwannarat, who formerly served as Phuket Provincial Police commander, Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, who led the anti-taxi mafia drive in Phuket last year.
National political figure Suthep Thaugsuban challenged the decision to move Region 8 headquarters to Phuket with a last-minute protest, citing concerns of how low-ranking officers would be affected.
“If it must be moved, they should at least allow their subordinates who don’t want to move to the resort island to be transferred to other places,” Mr Suthep said.
He also claimed that if the command were relocated, communication and coordination among the police stations in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi would be convenient, but at the expense of those in Chumphon, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Ranong and Surat Thani. (See story here.)
Meanwhile, Gen Somyot is set to retire at the end of September. He has yet to name his successor.
The national police chief has revealed that five of his deputies are contending for the top post and have already presented their visions and policies.
He affirmed that the name of the most suitable candidate will be submitted to the Royal Thai Police Board chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha by August 20 for approval, reports state news agency NNT. (See story here.)