Just two days before selecting the 14th Royal Thai Police Commissioner, police raided the house of Police General Surachate Hakparn, or “Big Joke,” over links to an online gambling case.
This occurred while the names of two senior police officers were being watched closely as candidates for the new police chief: Police General Torsak Sukwimol, known as “Big Tor,” and Police General Surachate Hakparn, known as “Big Joke.”
An immediate question arose whether this was law enforcement based on evidence or a political move to undermine a competitor for the police leadership position.
“Justice must start from those conducting it, not from having a predetermined agenda and trying to reach that agenda.”
Police Lieutenant General Phairoj Kujiraphan Legal advisor to “Big Joke” who questioned the investigation process, while on the other side, Police Major General Jaroonkiat Pankaew, or “Big Tao,” affirmed that law enforcement was properly conducted according to procedures.
“I am impartial and not aligned with anyone, regardless of your rank, position, connections, or power. We will enforce the law equally.”
The emerging conflict revealed to society a complex network of cases, ranging from gambling bribes, the BNK Master case, the Minnie gambling website case, to a 246-baht gold bribery case, which allegedly involved former NACC commissioners.
One case leads to another, with financial trails linking police officers and some investigators becoming subjects themselves. The question is not just “Who is right or wrong?” but how independently the justice system can function amid conflicts among high-ranking police officers.
Thairath Online delves deeply into the epic "Big Police Color Battle," tracing the connections of these closely watched cases, detailing their progress, identifying accusers and those under investigation, who holds power over the cases, and how transfers or changes in key positions affect the direction of investigations.
Follow the story in “NACC Secret Files: Internal Rust” EP.2, titled "Big Police Officer: The Sharp Cutter in a Gray Game Shaking the Police World."