Reshuffle list goes before commission

       The Police Commission meets today to approve a reshuffle list of police generals.
       The approval by the commission meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, is not expected to affect the vote on the next police chief,which is likely to be held on another day.
       Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who left last night on a week-long overseas trip, is confident the board of the Royal Thai Police Office will not appoint the new police chief during his absence.
       However, the Police Commission will have to meet today to approve the list of police generals as it faces time constraints.
       The decision on the police chief is pending after previous two meetings failed to reach an agreement.
       Mr Abhisit, who left last night for the UN General Assembly in New York, has asked Mr Suthep to stand in for him as chairman of the Police Commission.
       He said the reshuffle list must be approved before Oct 1, the start of the 2010 fiscal year.
       He brushed aside claims deputy national police chief Thanee Somboonsap,who is acting police chief and retires this month, should not have a say on the reshuffle list.
       The police commission will consider the list, and Pol Gen Thanee is a member of the commission.
       Mr Abhisit said the reshuffle list would be fair and would not cause any conflict in the force.
       A source said Pol Gen Thanee spent several hours at the Royal Thai Police Office yesterday preparing the reshuffle list of officers from the rank of deputy police chiefs to police commanders.
       A screening panel, made up of deputy police chiefs and police inspectorsgeneral, will consider the list at 8.30am,then send it to the Police Commission in the afternoon. If the list was found to be unsuitable, the commission could oppose it.
       Pol Gen Noppadol Somboonsap, another member of the commission, said the meeting must be held as any delay would affect several police generals on the list who would lose their rights to receive royal decorations.
       Requests for royal decorations have to be made before Sept 30.