Deputy police chief charges Thai prime minister with malfeasance

Thailand Deputy National Police Chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn charged Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin with malfeasance, claiming that the prime minister’s actions led to his suspension and thwarted his path to becoming the next national police chief.

Big Joke took his complaint to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and addressed it to its secretary-general, Niwatchai Kasemmongkol. He also held a press conference at the same location.

Big Joke told journalists that the Thai prime minister had previously transferred him to the Prime Minister’s Office for a 60-day investigation into his alleged involvement in money-laundering activities related to the BNK Master gambling website.

However, he was returned to the Royal Thai Police Office and subsequently suspended from duty on April 18. The day after his suspension, police interrogators submitted his case to the NACC, Surachate shared.

The 53 year old deputy police chief asserted that if his case had initially been presented to the NACC, he would have been deemed innocent until proven guilty. According to the law, he could not have been transferred out of the police force during this period.

Big Joke claimed that there was a concerted effort to persecute him, and his suspension had provided him with sufficient time to launch legal actions against his adversaries.

“Please be prepared.”

On the same day, he also requested the NACC to look into possible malfeasance by the police interrogators who filed the online gambling case against him.

He suggested that the interrogators, rather than the NACC, initially handled the case due to a scheme to prevent him from becoming the next national police chief.

Big Joke pointed out that he was the most senior among prospective successors to the current National Police Chief Torsak Sukvimol, who is set to retire at the end of September.

In response, Prime Minister Srettha stated at Government House that the Royal Thai Police Office had recommended Big Joke’s suspension. He argued that if he had obstructed the suspension, he would have been accused of malfeasance. The 62 year old Srettha asserted that the case followed the law and was devoid of bias, reported Bangkok Post.