The Police Commission is set to convene on Wednesday to determine if the Royal Thai Police’s decision to dismiss deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn was legally unfounded, according to a well-placed source. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who also serves as the Chairman of the Police Commission, will oversee the meeting, scheduled for 3 PM.
Pol Gen Ek Angsananont, an esteemed member of the commission, pointed out that should Pol Gen Surachate be reinstated as deputy police chief, which many expect, it could open a can of worms. The disciplinary sub-panel that initially approved his dismissal might find itself in hot water for potential misconduct over its decision.
The saga dates back to June 17, when the sub-panel, chaired by former deputy police chief Pol Gen Winai Thongson, took under advisement the Council of State’s legal interpretation regarding Pol Gen Surachate’s dismissal. The interpretation was solicited by none other than the Prime Minister’s Secretariat Office.
According to the council, the dismissal order was deemed proper and just. Yet, the sub-panel proceeded with the dismissal decision without accounting for the Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling. The court had declared that the Council of State’s interpretation was merely consultative and did not obligate state agencies to take action based on it.
Each state body sets its own policies and exercises its own discretion, making it independent of the Council of State’s advice. Typically, the findings or decisions of such sub-panels are simply acknowledged by the Police Commission.
Pol Gen Ek cautioned that any attempt to reinstate Pol Gen Surachate would carry inherent risks. “It would be more prudent for all parties to wait for the Police Virtue Protection Committee to deliberate on the matter first,” he advised.
On March 20, Prime Minister Srettha took the unexpected step of transferring both Pol Gen Surachate and national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol to new roles in the Prime Minister’s Office. This move aimed to quell the escalating tensions between the two officials. In the aftermath, Deputy national police chief Kitrat Phanphet was appointed as the acting police chief.
Rumors are swirling that Pol Gen Surachate could face charges of money laundering tied to online gambling networks. Additionally, a recent probe confirmed ongoing conflicts and disarray within the Royal Thai Police, said Wissanu Krea-ngam, the Prime Minister’s legal adviser. However, it remains unclear if these issues stem from a single cause or multiple sources.
As the clock ticks closer to Wednesday’s crucial meeting, all eyes are on the Police Commission and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, watching whether the reinstatement of Pol Gen Surachate will ignite further drama or restore some semblance of order within the Royal Thai Police.
Why are they even considering reinstating him if he could be involved in money laundering? This is ridiculous!
Exactly! This undermines the integrity of the entire police force. How can they expect people to trust them?
Maybe he’s being set up. We don’t know all the facts yet.
Even if that’s true, the mere allegation is enough to warrant a thorough investigation first.
Corruption in the police force is nothing new. It’s just more visible now.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has a lot on his plate. He needs to handle this delicately to maintain order.
Agreed. But at what point do they just stop and clean house completely?
If they clean house, who replaces them? More of the same corrupt officials?
I don’t get why they didn’t just abide by the Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling in the first place…
Because politics always gets in the way. It’s never that straightforward.
True, but it’s frustrating to see this level of dysfunction.
Why doesn’t the Police Virtue Protection Committee deal with this first? That makes way more sense.
Probably because they’re trying to resolve it quickly to avoid further scandal.
Rushing things might cause more problems in the long run. They need to be thorough.
Sounds like Pol Gen Surachate has some serious enemies. The timing of these allegations is suspicious.
Yeah, it could be a smear campaign. But if there’s evidence, it has to be addressed.
This whole situation is just a power struggle within the ranks. It’s disgusting.
Totally. They’re all just fighting for control, and the public suffers.
Reinstating someone with such serious allegations seems irresponsible. How can we trust the system?
I think they’ll eventually cave to public pressure and not reinstate him.
It’s important that due process is followed, but the Police Commission must be wary of public perception.
This saga sounds like a soap opera. How can citizens feel safe under such leadership?
The Prime Minister needs to make a clear stand, or his credibility is at risk.
Having different bodies with different roles and powers in the same process is confusing and counterproductive.
If Pol Gen Surachate gets reinstated, it will set a dangerous precedent.
What are the implications for the Police Virtue Protection Committee should they find wrongdoing on the part of the sub-panel?
Great question. It could lead to a much-needed overhaul, honestly.
Seems like they’re caught between a rock and a hard place. No easy answers here.
In cases like this, public opinion can sway decisions. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.
Regardless of the outcome, this mess needs cleaning up ASAP for the sake of the police force’s reputation.
I hope they get to the bottom of this quickly. A trustworthy police force is essential for any society.