Former police chief Torsak faces investigation for bribery
Probe follows the accumulation of sufficient evidence and witnesses to his demands for payoffs from gambling websites
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Monday resolved to investigate former commissioner-general of the Royal Thai Police Pol General Torsak Sukvimol and seven others for allegedly taking bribes.
The anti-graft commission was acting on an accusation that Torsak, during his term as national police chief (October 2023 – September 2024) and seven others had demanded money or other assets from 18 gambling websites and illegal businesses, NACC secretary-general Sarote Phuengramphan said.
Sarote said the NACC had found enough facts, witnesses and evidence to conduct the investigation and thus resolved to proceed with the case and investigate the eight. All the NACC commissioners will be responsible for the investigation, as stipulated in Section 51 of the Organic Act On Anti-Corruption B.E. 2561 (2018), he added.
Sarote said the NACC is also gathering evidence in a separate case in which Pol General Surachate Hakparn was accused of taking bribes from gambling websites and money laundering during his term as deputy national police chief.
Torsak was suspended from duties in March, following conflicts with his then-deputy Surachate.
Torsak resumed duties in June until he was succeeded by Pol General Kitrat Phanphet on October 1, while Surachate, who is also known as “Big Joke”, was dismissed under a royal command.
