Acting police chief suspends Big Joke over gambling links

The acting national police chief has signed a suspension order for Deputy Chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn and four other subordinates over their alleged involvement with an online gambling network, as per a source close to the matter.

The directive, which was enforced immediately yesterday, April 18, was signed by Pol. Gen. Kitrat Panphet. In addition to Big Joke, the order also targeted Pol. Col. Kittichai Sangkhathaworn, Deputy Police Commander of Songkhla province; Pol. Lt. Col. Krit Pariyaket, Deputy Chief of the Phra Samut Chedi Police Station in Samut Prakan; and traffic patrol policemen Pol. Sgt. Natthawut Wadwaew and Pol. Sgt. Natthanan Chuchak.

The five are believed to be complicit in money-laundering activities tied to the BNK Master gambling network. The order was issued on the back of a disciplinary investigation, and courts have already approved arrest warrants for the suspected individuals, according to the source.

The decision was discussed by Pol. Gen. Kitrat with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin at the Government House following a Cabinet meeting yesterday morning. The affected individuals hold the right to challenge the order.

On March 20, the prime minister reassigned Big Joke and National Police Chief Torsak Sukvimol to inactive posts, installing Pol. Gen. Kitrat as the acting chief in their stead. The two senior officers, who were at the centre of the controversy, had been embroiled in a public feud over alleged associations with unlawful gambling networks.

On April 2, Big Joke voluntarily presented himself to the police to respond to money-laundering charges levelled against him, mere hours after investigators secured an arrest warrant. He was later granted bail.

A recent revelation from a committee set up by the prime minister to probe the scandal indicated that there were valid grounds for the claim that Big Joke was implicated in money laundering.

Pol. Gen. Kitrat Panphet assumed the role of acting national police chief last month when Prime Minister Srettha reassigned Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukvimol, the previous chief, and Big Joke to inactive posts in the PM’s Office pending a thorough investigation into allegations against both men, reported Bangkok Post.