A FORMER chief doctor at Police Hospital linked to de facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra’s six-month fake-out at this hospital until his parole early 2024 is poised for a promotion to the rank of general before his retirement in October this year according to a memorandum signed by Police Chief Gen. Kitrat Phanphet, Naewna newspaper said today (Jan. 8).
This memorandum lists the names of senior police officers who will be selected for appointment to the ranks of Special Adviser to Police and Senior Advisers to Police from April onwards according to Section 62 of the Royal Thai Police Act B.E. 2565 (2022) and the Police Commission Regulations on the Appointment of Police Officers B.E. 2567 (2024).
To ensure that the selection and appointment of these senior police officers to a higher position complies with law and regulations, an announcement will be made beforehand to enable verification of their seniority ranking and also allow any police officer who has information that the listing is incorrect to submit a request for review to the Personnel Division within 15 days.
The attached document lists two Assistant Commissioners of Police namely: 1/ Pol. Lt. Gen. Sophonrat Singchajaru, appointed to this position on Nov. 4, 2023; 2/ Pol. Lt. Gen. Somprasong Yenthuam, likewise appointed to this position on Dec. 16, 2024. Both are scheduled to retire in October this year.
It should be noted that Pol. Lt. Gen. Sophonrat is a former Police Hospital’s chief medical officer and one of two individuals whose medical licence was suspended for three months (Oct. 1, 2025 – Dec. 31, 2025) by the Medical Council for providing inaccurate medical information or documents regarding Thaksin’s hospitalisation at the 14th floor suite of the Police Hospital.
Sources indicate that the implication of this memorandum is that if a position of Deputy Commissioner of Police (with the rank of Pol. Gen.) becomes vacant in April, an appointment will be necessary to fill the vacancy. However, if there are no vacancies, a new position as an adviser (Level 10) with the rank of Police General might be introduced.
Sources indicate that this move has sparked considerable criticism, as the case against the police officer on Thaksin’s hospitalisation is still ongoing at the Disciplinary Committee and the National Anti-Corruption Commission with a promotion or a change in rank deemed to be inappropriate.
On Sep. 9, 2025 Thaksin was sent back to jail for one year at the order of the Supreme Court, capping his Police Hospital escapade during which the former globetrotting billionaire had evidently managed to keep himself from being thrown behind bars upon his return from self-exile abroad in 2023.
His critics have invariably charged he had merely feigned it without being critically ill as “officially reported” whilst no permission from the Supreme Court had been provided for the middle-of-the-night transfer from the prison to the hospital.
Thaksin had been earlier convicted in absentia to eight years in jail on power abuse charges perpetrated during his previous premiership a couple of decades ago with the sentence having been commuted to only one year under royal pardon
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Top – De facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra and the Police Hospital’s 14th floor where he stayed for six months. Photo – Thai Rath
Front Page – De facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra talking to the press. Photo – Thai Rath
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