‘Big Joke’ temporarily suspended from police post
Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panpetch, Deputy Police Commissioner and acting Police Commissioner, on Thursday signed an order for Pol. Gen. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, also a Deputy Police Commissioner, to temporarily step down from the police force along with four other police officers effective immediately.
Kittirat said he had received a further report on the money laundering case related to the online gambling website BNK Master, which indicated that actual harm had been caused and that all five were suspected of criminal offences resulting from their misconduct. Warrants had been issued, necessitating the establishment of a committee to investigate severe disciplinary violations. As the investigation was unlikely to be completed promptly, he ordered them to step down from the police for the time being.
From now on, Kittirat will report to the Prime Minister for acknowledgement, so that the Prime Minister's Office Secretary-General can issue instructions for Surachate to return to the Royal Thai Police Headquarters.
Surachate has the right to appeal the order and present the facts to the Ethics Committee, he added,
"We have considered everything within the legal framework and regulations, including the Police Act. Any litigation or response is considered the right of Pol. Gen. Surachate. However, as acting chief, it is my duty to ensure that everything is done in accordance with the law and various regulations," Kittirat stated.
Several police officers, including Surachet, have been accused of severe disciplinary misconduct, leading to the establishment of an investigation committee and charged with "conspiring with two or more persons to commit money laundering and committing money laundering by conspiring together as police officers to launder money".
The investigation continues.
