Big Tao, Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said he is waiting for the investigation team to hold a meeting to summarize and decide whether to forward the case file on "Joke"'s gold bar bribe to the Speaker of Parliament. He expects clarity within two weeks.
Regarding the case on 26 January 2026, Mr. Sanyaphatchara Samart, lawyer for Big Joke, Police General Surachate Hakparn, former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, submitted a letter to the Speaker of Parliament opposing acceptance of the investigation file from the police. The case involves Police General Surachate and associates allegedly bribing members of the National Anti-Corruption Commission with 246 baht of gold bars, requesting the matter be referred to the President of the Supreme Court to form a panel for inquiry. The lawyer also stated that the police have no authority to consider the gold bribe case, and the National Anti-Corruption Commission cannot return the case file to the police.
Most recently, at 14:00 on 27 January 2026 at the Central Investigation Bureau headquarters, Police Major General Jaroonkiat Pankaew, Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, disclosed that the issue is merely an observation from the lawyer of Police General Surachate. He confirmed that the police have handled the case meticulously from the initial complaint, evidence gathering, to preparing the case file sent to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Subsequently, the commission resolved to return the case file to the Royal Thai Police on 23 January.
Police Major General Jaroonkiat further said that today the investigation team held a meeting to decide whether to forward the entire case file to the Speaker of Parliament. Additionally, the investigators have sent legal inquiries to the Lawyers Council, legal scholars, and prosecutors to assist in their consideration.
He added that he affirms all investigation steps taken by the police are lawful. If in the future the case file is forwarded to the Speaker of Parliament, it will be at the Speaker's discretion to decide how to proceed with the case. The timeframe for this consideration is expected to be no longer than two weeks from now.