Bangkok: No representatives from the top police ranks, including the National Police Chief and the Provincial Police Region 8 Commander, attended the House Police Committee meeting to discuss issues relating to bribes from gambling websites and police transfers. The committee, chaired by Mr. Krumanit Sangphum, emphasized the need to reconvene the meeting in early December to address these concerns fully.

According to Thai News Agency, the meeting was chaired by Mr. Krumanit Sangphum, an MP for Surin from the Pheu Thai Party, with Ms. Sunatcha Losatapornpipit, an MP from the Democrat Party, absent due to her visit to flood-affected areas in Trang Province. The agenda focused on illegal bribery linked to online gambling and complaints about police appointments and transfers. Key figures invited included Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, the National Police Chief, and other senior police officials. However, none of these senior officials attended, citing commitments to other committees. Instead, representatives such as Pol. Maj. Gen. Nakarin Sukonthawit provided clarifications.

Mr. Krumanit revealed that the absence of top police officials prevented a thorough discussion of issues such as scams, online gambling, and police appointments. He noted that the National Police Chief had communicated with the Speaker of the House, Mr. Wan Muhammad Nor Matha, about their prior commitments to other committees. Mr. Krumanit expressed a need for these officials to attend a rescheduled meeting in early December to provide necessary explanations. The committee plans to invite Pol. Gen. Surachet Hakpal and Mr. Atchariya Ruangrattanapong for further discussions on December 11th.

Regarding the potential invocation of the Act on Powers to Summon Officials, Mr. Krumanit mentioned he was considering this option. He acknowledged the possibility of officials prioritizing other matters due to the approaching House dissolution but urged a focus on immediate issues like flood relief. Mr. Krumanit remained hopeful for future cooperation but noted that repeated absences would necessitate reevaluation.

When addressing concerns about multiple committees summoning the same individuals, Mr. Krumanit stated it was up to committee chairs to coordinate. He emphasized that while each committee had unique perspectives and questions, simultaneous meetings could be beneficial for public and media transparency. However, as the committee directly responsible for police oversight, they require specific clarifications from the police.