The national police chief authorized Deputy Tao to file a defamation complaint against Pol. Col. Wirut after he gave an interview on a popular program, alleging that the police are a "criminal organization" collecting extortion nationwide, stating it severely damages the police's image and public confidence.
At 14:00 on 20 May 2026, at the Central Investigation Bureau headquarters, Police Major General Jaroonkiat Pankaew, Deputy Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau and deputy spokesperson of the police, revealed that Police General Kittirat Punpetch, the national police chief, authorized him to file a complaint with investigators in Division 1 of the Crime Suppression Division to proceed with legal action against Pol. Col. Wirut Sirisawasdibut and related parties on charges of "defamation by publication" under Sections 326 and 328 of the Criminal Code.
Police Major General Jaroonkiat stated that the legal action stems from Pol. Col. Wirut's interview on a popular TV channel on 19 November 2025, during which he allegedly referred to the Royal Thai Police as a "criminal organization" and claimed that the police engage in various forms of extortion nationwide.
The Royal Thai Police have reviewed the statements and concluded they constitute serious false accusations that damage the organization's image, credibility, and the public's trust, significantly harming the police's reputation. Therefore, they have assigned the responsible authorities to pursue full legal action against those involved.