Thailand’s Deputy National Police Chief Answers to Money Laundering Charges

Thailand’s deputy national police Chief, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn has reported to police on alleged charges of money laundering barely hours after detectives acquired an arrest warrant for him on Tuesday.

At around 5.30 p.m., Pol Gen Surachate arrived at Bangkok’s Tao Poon police station in a Toyota Alphard van that was eventually parked the truck behind the police station.

Pol Gen Surachate then proceeded inside the station to see the investigators. He was eventually released on bail and declined to talk with reporters as he exited the station at 8 p.m., stating only that he is innocent.

Pol Maj Gen Thinnakorn Rangmart, deputy commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), later acknowledged that Pol Gen Surachate was under investigation.

His arrival followed a day of drama, during which police issued an arrest warrant for the controversial deputy national leader after he refused to answer three summonses.

Pol Gen Surachate, commonly known as Big Joke, is currently serving in an inactive capacity on the directives of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who has also sidelined national police commander Torsak Sukvimol.

Both top officers have had a long-running conflict, with public accusations flying back and forth regarding their involvement in illegal gambling networks.

On Tuesday morning, MPB investigators applied for an arrest warrant at the Criminal Court, which authorized it at 4 p.m.

The court stated that it had received sufficient evidence to support the warrant request.

The warrant accuses Pol Gen Surachate of money laundering and being a state official who colluded in money laundering in violation of Sections 5, 9, and 10 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

On March 12, the court authorized warrants for the arrest of three police officers and a civilian on suspicion of money laundering in connection with the BNK Master gambling website.

They were named Pol Col Kittichai Sangkhathaworn, Pol Sgt Natthawut Wadwaew, Pol Sgt Natthanan Chuchak, and Napansakorn Haekerd. On the same day, the court approved a summons for Pol Gen Surachate. Three summonses.

Investigators later issued three summonses for the deputy national police chief to appear for questioning, but they were unable to physically deliver them to him. They went to court on Tuesday to get an arrest warrant.

Pol Gen Surachate previously told the press that he was planned a family holiday to the United Kingdom and that he will return to Thailand on April 1.

There were also rumors that he had written to the Criminal Court’s top justice, inquiring if there had been a warrant request from the police.

According to the letter, Pol Lt Col Krit Pariyaket wrote to the Department of Special Investigation to seek justice. He requested that the DSI accept the present Tao Poon police investigation against him as a unique case.

The DSI received evidence from the police investigation of Pol Lt Col Krit. He is accused of money laundering in connection with a gaming network that had more than 300 million baht in circulation.

According to the letter, the investigation was an exceptional matter under the law, and the DSI had the right to handle it.

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