Col Grissak to leave Phuket in police reshuffle

PATONG, PHUKET: In the latest police reshuffle, Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark has been transferred to the position of Superintendent of Kuraburi District Police in Phang Nga.

His replacement, effective February 19, will be current Tung Tong Police Superintendent Arayapan Pukbuakao.

Col Grissak seemed saddened by the news of the transfer to rural Kuraburi, Phang Nga’s northernmost district and a far cry from the bright lights of Patong.

“I have been working here since June, 2007,” he said. “That’s more than two years, so I guess it’s time to move on. I didn’t request the transfer, but those are my orders. What can I say? I have to go.”

Royal Thai Police committees review postings and issue transfer orders twice annually. Commanders can stay in one position for a maximum of four years, Col Grissak said.

As for his new posting, he said: “I have never been there before, but I think it will be good and will give me a chance to make new friends. I have held many positions in many different locations, so the adjustment should not be difficult at all. It will be nice to visit the Similans.”

The transfer of power to his replacement from Tung Tong, just over Patong Hill, should be easy, given that the two men have coordinated work efforts many times before.

“We have a good working relationship so it should be easy to hand over the work to him,” he said.

“It is hard to say at this time how people will react to the transfer, but I put my heart into my work to keep Patong safe and secure, so I think those who want Patong to remain peaceful will be sad,” he said.

“I am going to turn 49 this July, so I have 11 more years until retirement. I will continue my work. I would like all Royal Thai Police to have good morale, never giving up so they can work hard to serve the people,” he said.

The latest reshuffle saw 26 officers stationed in Phuket transferred to other provinces. Twenty-three more officers will either move into Phuket or be tranferred internally, serving in new police units on the island.

In other important transfers, Phuket Provincial Deputy Commander Paween Pongsirin will become Deputy Commander of the Surat Thani Provincial Police. His replacement will be Pol Col Peerayut Garachedi, current Superintendent of the Phuket Provincial Police Operations Department.

Current Surat Thani Muang District Police Superintendent, Pol Col Pornsak Nuannu, will become Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police.

Chalong Superintendent Chinnarat Ritthakananon will become Deputy Commander of the Krabi Provincial Police.

Kamala Police Superintendent Somsak Kaewmee will become Superintendent of Phang Nga’s Muang District Police.

Pol Col Graithong Chanthongbai, currently Superintendent of the Suksamran District Police in Ranong, will be the new Tung Tong Police Superintendent.

— K. Pornmongkhonwat & A. Khamlo