---

The Senate was dissolved on Saturday evening and more senior officials including the national police chief removed as coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha consolidated power.

The dissolution of the Senate means that all parliamentary authority rests with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) headed by the army chief.

Gen Prayuth announced that he had taken over the authority of the House and the Senate for the time being in case any actions required parliamentary approval.

The NCPO also announced on Saturday evening that Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew had been moved to an inactive post in the Prime Minister's Office.

Also moved to inactive posts were Tarit Pengdith, the head of the Department of Special Investigation, and Nipat Thonglek, the permanent secretary of the Defence Ministry. Both men had been seen as loyalists to the ousted government and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, the deputy national police chief, has been named the acting police chief. Pol Gen Chatchawal Suksomjit, another deputy national police chief, has been put in charge of the DSI, and Gen Surasak Kanjanarat, deputy permanent secretary for defence, has been named the defence permanent secretary.

http://www.bangko...al-control