Police groups move to sue General Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn for defamation after he exposed police corruption, money trails and links to gambling networks, presenting evidence to parliament, while senior officers now claim his statements damage the force.
General Surachate Hakparn faces new legal action, despite presenting evidence to the parliamentary Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and National Reform this week. He and anti-crime activist Atchariya Ruangrattanapong previously exposed police misconduct. Now, senior officers are threatening to sue him for defamation, claiming his statements damage the Royal Thai Police. They are also seeking a wider probe into his claims, which underpinned a bombshell Police Complaints Review Board decision recommending prosecution of former National Police Chief General Torsak Sukwimol and 200 senior officers.
Former Deputy National Police Chief General Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn now faces new legal pressure. The Royal Thai Police have moved to sue him for defamation after he declared in a media interview that parts of the organisation behaved like “a criminal organisation.”
The case marks a new escalation in a conflict that began in 2023. It also reinforces the campaign that General Surachate says was designed to remove him and undermine his rise inside the force.
However, the lawsuit is not the only action taken against him this month. Four police organisations submitted a formal petition to national police chief Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet. They demanded an inquiry into statements made by General Surachate and activist Atchariya Ruangrattanapong. The Retired Police Officers’ Club delivered the letter.
Four police organisations submit formal petition urging investigation into Surachate’s claims
The RTP Association, the Police Cadet Academy Association and the Inquiry Officials Association endorsed it. The police groups warned that the allegations had damaged the Royal Thai Police. In addition, they insisted that the comments distorted facts. They called for a transparent investigation and disciplinary action if wrongdoing is verified. They also demanded penalties for any officer making false accusations.
The renewed pressure coincides with a new wave of disclosures. Last week, General Surachate delivered an extensive set of evidence to the House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and National Reform.
The committee is reviewing alleged criminal links linked to Cambodian scam gangs, illicit financial flows and internal misconduct within state agencies. It is also handling material obtained from his prior internal inquiry into online gambling networks.
The evidence submitted last week centred on the BNK Master gambling website. It included a collection of financial records, money trails and linked accounts.
Evidence presented to parliamentary committee shows BNK Master financial records and police linked accounts
Much of the information originated from a woman named Pimwilai. She is a suspect tied to the BNK Master website and was arrested under the jurisdiction of Tao Poon Police Station.
Her lawyer cooperated with General Surachate’s legal team. The team also reviewed related material tied to Police Lt Col Kris Pariyaket, a suspect in the Minnie gambling network case. The combined information created a large, structured trail of transactions.
The evidence included 34 financial connections. Each link identified a sender, a recipient, the amount transferred, and the police unit or individual receiving the money. The committee received a line-by-line breakdown. It also received a diagram showing the flow of funds from gambling suspects to civilians, police units, senior officers and relatives of commanders.
The evidence was presented personally by General Surachate and anti-corruption activist Mr. Atchariya, president of the Help Crime Victims Club. One major link involved a man identified as Mr. P.
He was arrested in the gambling investigation and recorded as transferring ฿9.2 million. The funds moved into Police ABC Units 1, 2, 3, and 5. His transactions were logged with timestamps and account identifiers.
Further evidence shows that additional suspects transferred millions to police units and officers
A second link involved a man identified as Mr. J. He had an active arrest warrant and was reported as having fled. He transferred ฿13 million to Police ABC Unit 4. His transactions were matched against account logs, withdrawal slips and transfer confirmations.
A third figure, Mr. K., made several transactions. This person sent ฿140,000 to a journalist association. After that, he transferred ฿2.4 million to multiple police units. Then, he sent another ฿230,000 to relatives of high-ranking commanders.
The transactions were supported by bank statements and mobile banking logs. His transfers were highlighted in the diagram provided to the committee.
A fourth set of entries involved two individuals identified as Mr. A. and Sergeant Y. They jointly handled ฿27 million in withdrawals. The records included physical withdrawal slips stamped by the banks. The evidence showed simultaneous activity across two accounts. The committee received copies of these records as part of the submission.
The remaining 30 entries covered police officers of various ranks. Their names were withheld in the public session. However, the committee was given a confidential list. The list included transaction dates, amounts, and the roles of each officer. It also included notes on which units the officers belonged to and which cases they were associated with during each transaction period.
Surachate submits chart linking BNK Master funds to journalists’ families and multiple police units
In addition, General Surachate submitted a structure chart. The chart mapped money movements from BNK Master to intermediate accounts. It connected these accounts to journalist organisations, family members of senior police, and operational police units.
The chart also showed potential crossover between the BNK Master and Minnie networks. These connections were based on shared intermediaries and overlapping transaction sequences.
Committee members questioned General Surachate about the methodology. The former cop said the records came from joint work between Pimwilai’s legal representatives and his own team.
Big Joke said the evidence was cross-checked with documents from police stations handling gambling cases. He stated that many transfers mirrored earlier data submitted in March 2024. Indeed, that earlier disclosure triggered a crisis in the police force.
The origins of the conflict remain central to the current proceedings. In September 2023, police raided General Surachate’s home. The raid occurred only weeks before a key Royal Thai Police meeting that was widely expected to confirm him as national police chief. He said the raid was unexpected. He said it was designed to block his appointment.
Internal inquiry and media disclosures in early 2024 escalated conflict and triggered suspensions
In early 2024, investigators advanced allegations linking him to online gambling. He responded by launching his own internal inquiry using his personnel.
His team reviewed documents from several units. The police team gathered material connected to gambling suspects. Investigators obtained account logs and internal reports. Afterwards, they presented their findings to the media in March 2024. That release caused heavy internal tension and pushed the force into open conflict.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin intervened shortly after the disclosures. He suspended both General Surachate and National Police Commissioner General Torsak Sukwimol.
However, the move did not end the internal dispute. A Bangkok police station continued its investigation targeting General Surachate. That investigation culminated in an arrest warrant believed to have been approved by a court. Authorities then removed him from the force. He was stripped of his pension.
General Torsak reinstated before retiring, as panel confirms factionalism and corruption claims
In the meantime, General Torsak was reinstated and afterwards retired in September 2024. A Prime Ministerial panel confirmed massive factionalism in the force but did not go into detail on the corruption claims originally made by General Surachate, which were later found to stand up.
In late October this year, the Police Complaints Review Board recommended prosecution of General Torsak and more than 200 senior officers.
The PCRB based its decision on documents originally provided by General Surachate. The board found evidence of potential disciplinary violations connected to the acceptance of money or benefits from gambling operations.
Meanwhile, General Surachate continues to deny all allegations against him personally. The now-dismissed police officer repeats that he was framed. He says rogue elements inside the force targeted him. General Surachate claims ongoing attempts to tarnish his reputation.
The feud between him and General Torsak intensified before the latter’s retirement in September 2024. Both men accused each other of having links to illegal gambling networks. The conflict expanded into public view. It has not fizzled out. It has presently reached parliamentary committees, police associations, representative bodies, the Police Complaints Review Board (PCRB) and in time will be tested by the courts.
Defamation case adds to multiple ongoing investigations dominating policing since 2023 home raid
The new defamation case now sits atop this already long chain of disputes. The petitions filed by police organisations add another layer. The evidence delivered last week adds another chapter. Multiple investigations remain open. Multiple internal committees continue to review documents. Several legal cases are ongoing.
As a result, the campaign that began with a raid in 2023 continues to dominate the national policing landscape.
Battle with scammers rages within Royal Thai Police as Big Joke continues fight against alleged corruption
Bombshell as former Police Chief Torsak and 200 senior officers are linked to corruption by board
Claims of a death warrant or contract taken out on a political murder victim’s life made by anti-corruption activist
The conflict remains unresolved. In the meantime, it threatens to tear apart the coherence with the Royal Thai Police and, indeed, its reputation, which is presently in tatters over the affair.
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Further reading:
Bombshell as former Police Chief Torsak and 200 senior officers are linked to corruption by board
High powered, secretive meeting chaired by PM agrees robust action against Cambodian networks
Thailand and Cambodia face danger from ‘Dragon Head’ the Chinese mafia leader behind the scams
Cyber police and Money Laundering agency seek UK and US co-operation targeting Cambodian networks
