BC-AS--Thailand-Trafficking/127

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BANGKOK: The Thai police say they're considering filing a defamation suit against an officer who led the anti-human trafficking operation but recently fled to Australia, saying he feared for his life.

National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said Friday the accusations hurt the image of Thailand and its police force and suggested they stemmed from disgruntlement over not being promoted.

He made the comments a day after Maj. Gen. Paween Pongsirin told Australian media he feared for his life after implicating police and military officials.

Paween headed a task force created after the discovery earlier this year of dozens of corpses at jungle camps run by human traffickers in southern Thailand. Human rights groups have long said traffickers worked in complicity with corrupt Thai officials.