Kowit Wattana

Kowit Wattana ( _th. โกวิท วัฒนะ; born 11 March 1947) was the Police Commissioner-General of Thailand from 2004-2007. Following the 2006 coup d'état, Kowit was named third chief deputy of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy. [cite news|publisher=The Bangkok Post|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=113044|title=Top generals all in|date=20 September 2006] On 22 September, the Council gave Police General Wattana absolute power over all police matters. He was also made Chair of a new National Police Commission. The Commission will be assigned to amend the 2004 National Police Bill over the next year; the Bill had been originally been approved by the elected Parliament. Under the pre-coup legal framework, the Premier had been responsible for Chairing the Commission. [cite news|publisher=The Bangkok Post|url=http://bangkokpost.net/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=113096|title=Coup leader gets full police powers|date= 22 October 2006] So far, two members of the new police commission have been announced, Pol Gen Phatcharawat Wongsuwan and Pol Gen Issaraphan Sanitwong. [cite news|date=27 September 2006|publisher=The Nation|url=http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30014409|title=Two new police commission members appointed] He was replaced by Seripisut Temiyavet in 2007. There was great speculation about the motivation behind the replacement, as Kowit had earlier arrested several military personnel for alleged involvement in the 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings.On 2 August 2008, Kowit was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, replacing unpopular Chalerm Ubumrung for the latter position.On 24 September 2008, Kowit was appointed Minister of Interior in Somchai Wongsawat's Cabinet

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