Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak Chaowanasai, Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, is set to expedite questioning of medical professionals to clarify the facts regarding 'Big Joke' allegedly assaulting a subordinate. He also firmly stated that the police have the authority in the 246-baht gold bribery case.
On 28 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak Chaowanasai, Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, spoke about the progress in the case involving Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, known as 'Big Joke,' former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, accused of assaulting a subordinate. In the past 2–3 days, additional witness interviews were conducted with 4–5 individuals, including former police officers, non-commissioned officers, and commissioned officers who had worked with both the victim and the alleged assailant. Some witnesses said they had seen the assault, some had heard about it but not witnessed it, and others were unaware of the incident.
When asked whether the 4–5 witnesses interviewed were among the 17 who previously filed complaints at the Office of the Police Inspector General, Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak said he could not confirm and needed to check further. Regarding next steps, he ordered expedited questioning of the treating doctor to gather evidence before considering issuing summonses. Asked if the complainant had faced threats since filing the complaint, he confirmed that no such reports have been received so far.
Meanwhile, Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak also addressed the issue of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) returning the case file involving the 246-baht gold bribery to the police for further action. The case documents have now returned to the Central Investigation Bureau, and a committee has been formed to discuss how to proceed. He affirmed that the police have the authority to handle the case and will include any additional evidence obtained to make the case file more comprehensive.
Regarding the former Deputy Police Commissioner’s lawyer filing a petition at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, claiming the police lack authority to proceed, Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak explained that this is a matter for the lawyer. However, the police will continue to act according to the law. He expects that after meetings, the case will become clearer and reaffirmed that this case will be handled like any other. He also confirmed that the complainant has entered witness protection.