Et Tu Big Joke?

[Gaybutton]

Say it isn't so! I find it almost impossible to believe, of all people, that Big Joke himself might be involved in corruption, but apparently there was evidence to support including his home in a court ordered search warrant. I can't help but wonder if this isn't some sort of tactic planned and put in place by his enemies. A man in his position and so outspoken must have no shortage of enemies who would love to see him brought down.

I am encouraged by the fact that nothing illegal was found. I hope it doesn't turn out that the man so well known for fighting corruption turns out to be corrupt too.

Innocent or guilty - either way, I wonder if this incident diminishes the weight he carries in Thailand and affects the chances of him influencing the idea of immigration rule changes.

"Madness! Madness!"
James Donald (Major Clipton), 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'
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Thai Police Search House of Deputy National Police Chief Surachate Hakparn After Search Warrants Around Alleged Online Gambling Ring

By Tanakorn Panyadee

25 September, 2023



Thai Cyber Police and a commando unit searched a house owned by the Deputy National Police Chief, Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, often called in Thai media by his nickname as “Big Joke,” on Monday morning, September 25th, after they discovered an alleged link between him and an online gambling ring.

Nothing was found, however, during the search and Pol. Gen. Surachate denied all the allegations and accusations.

The search authorities were briefly obstructed by Pol. Gen. Surachate at the front gate of his house on Soi Vibhavadi 60, behind the Police Club in Bangkok, during which Pol. Gen. Surachate asked how a search warrant was issued and asked the officers to go back.

Pol. Gen. Surachate was still in his sleeping wear during the standoff. Eventually, however, he allowed officers to search his house after discussing the situation with Pol. Lt. Gen. Worawat Watnakhonbancha, the Chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB). He subsequently explained that the reason he initially declined the house search was because a commanding officer was not present until Pol. Lt. Gen. Worawat arrived.

According to reports, Pol. Gen. Surachate and his team members are currently under investigation for suspected involvement in bribery. It is reported that he and other officers allegedly sought a bribe amounting to over 140 million baht from an illicit online gambling operation.

There are reports that 30 police officers associated with Pol. Gen. Surachate are facing arrest warrants, while 11 other officers and civilians have already been arrested. Police are searching 30 locations in six provinces across Thailand that are suspected of being linked to the illicit operation.

Initially, Pol. Gen. Surachate stated that he is not implicated in the alleged bribery or the illegal gambling ring and is fully prepared to cooperate with the investigation. He further emphasized that he does not think the search warrant is related to speculation about him being a candidate for the position of national police chief. He affirmed that he is not in consideration for the role.

No illegal items or any connection to the gambling ring were found in Pol. Gen. Surachate’s house, according to reports. Surachate is arguably the most well known police officer in Thailand, known for stamping out police corruption and has as a result earned numerous enemies over time.

Story and photos: https://tpnnational.com/2023/09/25/thai ... ling-ring/
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Big Joke's house searched by cyber crime police

September 25, 2023

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn (left, partly concealed) reads the court search warrant, near his house in Bangkok on Monday morning. (Photo supplied)

Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) police searched the house of deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn in Bangkok on Monday morning after he was allegedly found to have been involved in gambling site operations.

The search was part of a larger operation code-named "Big Cleaning Day".

Cyber crime police, armed with a court search warrant, were reportedly accompanied by police from the Anti-Corruption Division and Metropolitan Police special operations commandos.

Also to be searched under warrants were five houses in Soi Vibhavadi 60 behind the Police Club. The houses were reportedly bought by Pol Gen Surachate for his subordinates.

When police arrived about 8am, Pol Gen Surachate was at his house and received them wearing only a pair of boxers and white T-shirt. He reportedly refused to let the police into his house, citing his position as deputy commander of the Royal Thai Police.

The search team had to wait for Pol Lt Gen Voravat Watnakhonbancha, the CCIB commissioner, to arrive to talk with Pol Gen Surachate about the search warrant. After Pol Gen Voravat arrived, Pol Gen Surachate allowed the search.

Pol Gen Surachate's house, in Soi Vibhavadi 60, was reportedly among about 30 houses to be searched on Monday in Bangkok and five provinces - Phetchaburi, Samut Prakan, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Saraburi.

The other houses reportedly belong to junior police officers close to Pol Gen Surachate and alleged to have been involved in online gambling sites operating in Laos with about one billion baht in circulation.

CCIB police investigating the financial transactions of the network found sufficient evidence to convince a court to issue search and arrest warrants.

In operation "Big Cleaning Day" a number of officers, including a police major general and a police colonel, in a team of investigators under Pol Gen Surachate were reportedly arrested. They were expected to be taken to Metropolitan Police Division 5 headquarters on Sathorn road for questioning.

Pol Gen Surachate is one of four deputy national police chiefs, all eligible to aspire to the position of national police chief when Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas retires at the end of September. Pol Gen Surachate confirmed to reporters that five or six of his subordinates faced arrest warrants for alleged involvement in online gambling and said he and his subordinates would prove their innocence.

Pol Gen Surachate said he cooperated and the search of his home found nothing illegal. He had never received any money from any gambling website, and acted only to suppress the operations of such websites. He was confident of his subordinates’ innocence.

Asked if he was worried about his prospects for the job of national police chief, Pol Gen Surachate said he was not a candidate. After the search, he planned to go to work as usual.

Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, said the search was a part of an expanded investigation into online gambling and investigators believed some suspects had stayed at Pol Gen Surachate’s residence.

He did not know details of the suppression action. It was the responsibility of the Police Cyber Task Force, which had requested teams from CCIB to support the searches in many provinces on Monday.

Pol Gen Surachate was born in 1970 in Songkhla. His father was a junior police officer who had close ties to Samer Damapong, a former deputy police chief.

After attending the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School, he later joined Class 41 of the Royal Police Cadet Academy (RPCA). A rising star among Class 41 alumni, he rose quickly through the ranks. After being appointed deputy inspector at age 24 in Chiang Mai, he rose to inspector in 2000 at age 30, deputy superintendent in 2004, and superintendent in 2008.

In 2012, he was appointed the deputy commander of the Songkhla Police Force. During this time, he also led a forward command overseeing four insurgency-hit border districts. In 2015, he was promoted to the rank of police major general.

Since leading a crackdown on foreigners illegally staying in the country in 2017, Pol Gen Surachate has become one of the most visible faces of the Royal Thai Police. His handling of the case of a Saudi woman who narrowly avoided deportation from Thailand on her way to Australia earned him praise.

He was appointed as the chief of the Immigration Bureau in September 2018 and removed from his post in 2019 for unclear reasons. As chief of the Immigration Bureau, he frequently appeared in news headlines.

In March 2019 he was appointed the a special adviser on strategy to the Royal Thai Police by then Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The position was equal in rank to an assistant police chief position. He was later named a deputy police chief.

In 2020 Pol Gen Surachate was the apparent target of gunmen who fired seven bullets into his car while it was parked on Surawong Road in Bang Rak district of Bangkok. He was attending a meeting at the time.

He denied that the incident had been staged, saying the attack was related to the Immigration Bureau’s controversial procurement of an expensive biometric system.

The case was never solved, and a senior officer was later dismissed over the leak of a recording in which a superior is heard telling him not to pursue the investigation.

The Administrative Court in 2021 overturned the order removing Pol Gen Wirachai Songmetta as deputy police chief and called for his benefits to be reinstated.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ime-police

[Jun]

I am encouraged by the fact that nothing illegal was found. I hope it doesn't turn out that the man so well known for fighting corruption turns out to be corrupt too.

I would be surprised if he wasn't bent like many of them.

Just look at the recent discussion on the retirement visa. He allegedly mentioned immigration corruption, yet there was no mention of any action to stop that. That's not fighting corruption.

[Gaybutton]

I would be surprised if he wasn't bent like the many of them.

I'm beginning to think the only way corruption will ever come to an end in Thailand will be when the next extinction level asteroid hits the earth - and the point of impact is Bangkok . . .

I will be very disappointed if it turns out Big Joke is indeed corrupt. I'm more inclined to think he is the victim of some sort of setup attempt. If that is the case it would be very interesting to find out who is behind it and why. I would think he is much too smart to have anything incriminating in his home.

[Gaybutton]

Was this raid truly legitimate or was its purpose to prevent Big Joke from becoming Thailand's top cop - or both? Was the timing of this raid a bit on the sinister side? Is Big Joke an innocent victim or has he been stabbed in the back?
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Torsak tipped as new top cop

Contender for job, Big Joke's house raided

by Wassayos Ngamkham

September 26, 2023

Deputy police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol is strongly tipped to be named the new police chief on Wednesday following a high-profile house search of another contender Pol Gen Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn, as part of a police probe into online gambling websites.

The raid of Pol Gen Surachate's house in Bangkok on Monday morning was under an operation code-named "Big Cleaning Day", which targeted 30 houses in Bangkok and five provinces -- Phetchaburi, Samut Prakan, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Saraburi.

Several of the other houses reportedly belonged to police officers who are close to Pol Gen Surachate and are alleged to have been involved in online gambling sites operating in Laos with about one billion baht in circulation.

The search came a few days before Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is expected to pick a new police chief this week to succeed Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, who will retire on Sept 30.

A source in the Police Commission said Mr Srettha is widely expected to name Pol Gen Torsak for the top police post at Wednesday's meeting.

The majority of the Police Commission does not support Pol Gen Surachate because he stands accused of unfair transfer of junior officers, which has upset several in the force, the source told the Bangkok Post.

"Pol Gen Surachate has eight years to go before his mandatory retirement, and his chance of being named national police chief this year is ruled out after the house raid," said the source.

The other two candidates -- Pol Gen Roy Ingkapairote, who is due to retire next year and Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet, who is due to retire in 2026 -- are low-profile officers, and each only has a slim chance of becoming the new police chief.

Pol Gen Torsak, on the other hand, is a high-profile officer who rose to fame after he served in the Crime Suppression Division, the source said.

He served as commander of the Police Royal Guards 904 Division before becoming a deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). He became the CIB chief and was named an assistant police chief before being promoted to deputy chief.

The search of Pol Gen Surachate's house was planned by ️Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT) Team 4 and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) amid rumours that Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were not on good terms in the wake of the lethal shooting of a policeman at the house of Praween Chankhlai, also known as Kamnan Nok, in Muang district of Nakhon Pathom province on Sept 6.

Pol Gen Surachate's investigation team reportedly put pressure on Pol Col Vachira Yaothaisong, commander of Highway Police sub-division 2, who shot himself dead. Pol Col Vachira was reportedly close to Pol Gen Torsak, the source said.

Pol Gen Surachate's team also pursued dereliction of duty charges against several officers in a move seen as an attempt to undermine Pol Gen Torsak. Pol Gen Surachate's investigation team also allegedly tried to imply Pol Col Vachira's death was a set-up murder.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phewpan, commissioner of the Office of Legal Affairs and Litigation, said on Monday the searches were part of an expanded investigation into online gambling sites.

In the expanded probe, police found 23 people, including eight police officers, from the rank of police major general to police colonel, were allegedly involved and issued the warrants.

He said police had had no idea a senior police officer stayed at one of the targets of the raid because the house was registered to a civilian. He insisted it was not an attempt to discredit Pol Gen Surachate.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong said there was no evidence linking the gambling sites to Pol Gen Surachate at this investigation stage, but the probe would continue.

Eight police officers were under Pol Gen Surachate's command, and they included Pol Maj Gen Namkiat Theerarotjanaphong, attached to the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Pol Col Khemarin Pisamai, chief of the Chanthaburi immigration police and Pol Col Pakpoom Pisamai, deputy chief Provincial Police Region 4.

'Power struggle'

Pol Gen Surachate on Monday questioned whether the search warrant was issued properly because it did not specify his name while pointing out that it was an attempt to discredit him.

"We must admit that there is a power struggle in the police force, and the operation is aimed to be discrediting," he said, adding that he did not know who ordered the search.

Pol Gen Surachate said police implicated in illegal gambling websites would have to fight the charges and prove their innocence and insisted he had nothing to do with illegal activities.

But he said he had confidence in his men but added that they must be subject to criminal action if an investigation found they had committed a crime.

Pol Gen Damrongsak denied that the house search had anything to do with the selection of the new police chief, saying that there was no link between Po Gen Surachate and the illegal websites.

Mr Srettha said on Monday a panel would be set up to investigate the matter after several police were accused of being involved in illegal online gambling sites. He said he was unsure if the search of Pol Gen Surachate's house was related to the appointment of a new police chief.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ew-top-cop

[Dodger]

There's a very fine line between the good guys and the bad guys in Thailand.

Seeing someone rise to the rank that he holds in an environment as corrupt as it is here without being part of the tapestry is a lot to swallow.

It's dog eat dog.

[Gaybutton]

It's dog eat dog.

Remember the phrase "Honesty is the best policy"? BULLSHIT!

[Gaybutton]

[Gaybutton]

Top cop 'Big Joke' says search of his house 'political'

Dishonest, intended to discredit and ruin his reputation, says deputy police chief

September 25, 2023

Deputy national police chief Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn has slammed the search of his home in Bangkok on Monday morning as dishonest and attributed it to political manoeuvring within the Office of the Royal Thai Police.

Speaking to reporters about 12.40pm at the Police Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit road, Pol Gen Surachate said the search of his house, in Soi Vibhavadi 60, was dishonest because in seeking the warrant cyber crime police gave the court only the number of the house to be searched. They did not tell the court who owned the place.

In fact, many of the police who showed up for the search knew that it was his house, he said.

Pol Gen Surachate said he initially refused to allow them inside, but relented after he talked with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) commissioner.

Nothing illegal was found in he house.

Pol Gen Surachate admitted that eight other police officers the CCIB had obtained arrest warrants for were his subordinates.

He said their financial transactions must be examined to show whether whether they were involved in the operations of online gambling websites as alleged, or not. If arrested they must be able to explain whether the allegation was true or false, he said.

The embattled deputy police chief said what happened to him was linked to politics within the Office of the Royal Thai Police. He had confidence in his men and they deserved justice. If in an investigation found they actually committed the crime, as alleged, they must be subject to criminal action and he would not protect them, he said.

Pol Gen Surachate said he was still in the dark about who ordered the search, which was intended to discredit him and ruin his reputation.

He admitted having handled many criminal cases in which many police officers were implicated and were served with arrest or search warrants. It was normal that he would be the subject of hard feelings.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiewphan, chief of the Office of Legal Affairs and Litigation of the Royal Thai Police, said the search of 30 houses in six provinces across the country stemmed from the arrests in July of three suspects in connection with 12 gambling websites.

This led to CCIB police seeking court warrants to arrest 23 other suspects, including eight police officers.

From evidence acquired through the investigation, some of the eight police officers appeared to be administrators of gambling websites, while the others were coordinators. They were found to have been in the illegal business for over two months, he said.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong said the eight police officers included a police major general and a police colonel.

He said cyber crime police who showed up to search the house on Soi Vibhavadi 60 did not know it belonged to Pol Gen Surachate, because the official domicle registration showed the house belonged to a civilian. Therefore, the search was not an act of persecution, he said.

According to Pol Gen Trairong, of the 23 suspects under arrest warrants 15 had been arrested and at least one of them was a police officer. There was at this stage no evidence implicating Pol Gen Surachate, he said.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong said in a later interview that of the 23 suspects, 17 had been arrested and eight of them were police officers. One of them was arrested during the search of four or five houses on Soi Vibhavadi 60.

The search for the six civilians who had not been arrested would continue.

Police would seek court permission to further detain those arrested, according to legal procedure. Whether they would be released on bail rested with police investigators and the court.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong said he had not received a report on the statements given by the suspects. He asserted the arrests were made with proper supporting evidence acquired in a two-month-long investigation.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2652615
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New panel to investigate police involvement in gambling

by Wassana Nanuam and Wassayos Ngamkham

September 26, 2023

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Tuesday he had set up a panel to investigate alleged police involvement in online gambling operations in the wake of cyber crime police raids on houses owned by deputy national police chief Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn on Monday.

The prime minister said before the cabinet meeting at Government House that the probe committee had three members and details were in his written order for the investigation.

The order appoints a chairman, Chatchai Promlert, former permanent secretary for interior, and two other members - Chartpong Chirabandhu, former deputy attorney-general, and Pol Gen Winai Thongsong, former deputy national police chief, who is secretary.

The panel will look into the facts and legal aspects of the searches of houses of high-level police officers in Bangkok and of dozens of other premises in the provinces on Monday, and similar operations in the future. Pol Gen Surachate's home was among those searched.

The searches on Monday were based on financial transactions uncovered earlier which were related to gambling websites, and which had a severe impact on the justice system, the order read.

The investigating committee is tasked with reporting its findings to the prime minister every 10 days. The prime minister has ordered government officials to cooperate with the committee.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... n-gambling

[Gaybutton]

'Big Joke' files court complaint over search warrants

Police application in contempt, concealed information from court, he says

by Wassayos Ngamkham

September 26, 2023

Deputy national police chief Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn filed a complaint with the Criminal Court on Tuesday alleging contempt of court in the police application for a warrant that allowed them to search several houses he uses on Monday.

Pol Gen Surachate told reporters later that the application for search warrants concealed facts from the court.

He said it failed to inform the court that he occupied the five houses, and a large force was used in the searches in a way that tarnished his reputation.

Cyber crime police raided the houses on Vibhavadi 60 Road, in Bangkok, on Monday morning. It was part of a larger operation against an online gambling network.

The deputy police chief said the police officers who conducted the searches targeted a police inspector who is his close aide, so they would have known that he lived there.

"If the court had known that they are my houses it would have acted fairly, because I do not face prosecution," Pol Gen Surachate said.

He said his close subordinates who were arrested during the police operation, for alleged involvement in online gambling, would also file complaints.

If the court had known that the arrest warrants targeted police officers, it would have issued summonses, not arrest warrants, because police officers were government officials whose whereabouts were clear and would not attempt to escape, the deputy national police chief said.

"This case shows concealment, and is deserving of suspicion... If a deputy national police chief does not receive fair treatment, how can the people get it?" Pol Gen Surachate said.

The requests to the court for arrest warrants for his subordinates identified the targets only by name, and omitted their police ranks, he said.

Pol Gen Surachate said he had nothing to do with any online gambling business. Some of his subordinates had a connection with a suspected online gambling host, but that was a personal matter which should not be linked to him, Pol Gen Surachate said.

According to the deputy national police chief, his five houses were searched on Monday. He said they actually belong to a close relative, a big businessman in Udon Thani province.

He rented the houses for his convenience when staying in Bangkok, because he is a native of the southern province of Songkhla. He stayed in two of the houses, and used the three other properties for storage.

Immediately after the searches he had raised the matter with national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas.

He said the national police chief told him he had known it was possible the houses would be searched and had ordered the officers concerned to inform him in advance. However, the national police chief said he was informed of the searches only after they had been conducted, Pol Gen Surachate said.

"This means that the national police chief did not give the (search) order... I confirm that I will take legal action against everyone involved in the incident... I am sure that someone ordered it... It is about politics within the Royal Thai Police Office," Pol Gen Surachate said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... h-warrants

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Deputy Police Chief seeks justice in his house’s search

By Pattaya Mail

September 26, 2023

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn has sought justice from the court in the case involving the search warrant issued for his residence on Soi Vipavadi 60 yesterday, raising questions about whether the court’s authority has been violated.

Pol Gen Surachate went to the Ratchada Criminal Court to seek justice and request an investigation into whether there has been a breach of the court’s authority or any information was concealed from the court when the police sought the search warrant.

Yesterday, a team of officials requested a search warrant and entered his residence on Soi Vipavadi 60 to apprehend individuals wanted in connection with online gambling offenses.

In the search warrant request, the term “Mr.” was used without specifying that these individuals were law enforcement officers, and it did not specify that it was the residence of the deputy national police chief.

Typically, during the process of requesting a search or arrest warrant, if it involves law enforcement officers, the court will initially issue a summons because they hold positions and have primary addresses. Failing to do so is considered a suspicious act.

“Big Joke” has confirmed that he is not involved and is not concerned because there is no financial connection to him. He did not know why his subordinates had a financial trail being associated with “Minnie,” the online gambling website owner. After they are released on bail, he will ask them for more information.

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnew ... rch-441629

[Dodger]

He rented the houses for his convenience when staying in Bangkok, because he is a native of the southern province of Songkhla. He stayed in two of the houses, and used the three other properties for storage.

Five houses...two to live in and three more for storage??????

How many people do you know that rent 3 houses simply for storage? I guess Donald Trump would fall in that category - but he's a multi-billionaire.

Dogs eating dogs!