Big Joke’s wife wins defamation lawsuit over affair accusations
The Civil Court ordered a Thai woman to pay 8 million baht in compensation to the wife of former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police Surachate Hakparn, widely known as “Big Joke”, after ruling that she falsely accused the police officer’s wife of having an affair with her husband.
The ruling was delivered yesterday, February 9, concluding a civil defamation case that stemmed from public allegations made in late 2024. The defendant, a 50 year old Thai woman identified as Thanattha, also known as Ning, appeared on a television news programme in October last year.
During the broadcast, she claimed that the wife of a former senior police officer engaged in a relationship with her husband, who is also a police officer.
In addition to the adultery allegation, Ning accused the woman of stealing valuables worth more than 600,000 baht from her condominium in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. She alleged that the accused woman gained access to the accommodation using a spare key provided by her husband.
Although Ning did not initially name the woman she accused, subsequent legal proceedings and media reports identified the alleged mistress as Sirinatda Hakparn, the wife of Big Joke.
Following the public accusations, Ning filed a formal complaint at Phra Khanong Police Station. Sirinatda later travelled to the station accompanied by her lawyer to acknowledge the complaint. She denied all allegations and announced her intention to pursue legal action against Ning for defamation.
After reviewing the evidence, the Civil Court ruled that the accusations were false and caused serious reputational damage. The court ordered Ning to pay 8 million baht in compensation to Sirinatda.
In addition, Ning was ordered to pay interest at a rate of 5% per annum on the principal amount, calculated from October 15, 2024, the date the lawsuit was filed.
According to the report on MGR Online, Ning filed a petition with the court, urging mitigation of the punishment and a retrial. As of now, Sirinatda has also declined to comment on the verdict.
While the civil case involving his wife has now been resolved, Big Joke himself continues to face ongoing legal challenges. Since 2023, he has been accused of involvement in an online gambling network.
Big Joke consistently denied the allegations and has attempted to prove his innocence. However, the case resulted in his temporary removal from government service, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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