The witch hunt to try to destroy the prestigious career of Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn continues after police summoned the owner of five homes rented by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Deputy Commissioner.
Big Joke said that the proprietor of the houses is a relative of his and that the relative is a businessman, not a web-based playing operator.
According to Amarin TV, 5 homes raided by Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers two days in the past did not belong to Big Joke. All 5 homes are owned by a Thai businessman known as Tam and his spouse. Tam pays a community upkeep payment, estimated at 142,000 baht a 12 months, and Amarin TV mentioned Tam didn’t gather any lease from Big Joke.
Big Joke later revealed in an interview with a quantity of media outlets that the houses where he and his subordinates lived belonged to Tam. Tam is not a biological relative to him but he respected Tam as a member of the family. He rented two homes from Tam, one for himself and one for his father, for 50,000 baht a month. Big Joke didn’t clarify why Tam also let his subordinates reside within the other three houses.
The fifty three year outdated Deputy Commissioner mentioned that Tam and his lawyer would make clear particulars of the lease and his relationship with him to the police and would give an interview to the media very soon.
Big Joke insisted that he did not want cash from on-line gambling as he and his household have more than sufficient to stay on. The Deputy Commissioner revealed that he had even invested his money on this police investigation and that the quantity was rather more than the gambling website was making.
Big Joke also added that his wife’s mom had belongings worth greater than 1 billion baht. He had no motive to affix the unlawful enterprise.
Many suspect that Tam may be concerned within the playing operation.
Amarin TV reporters tried to contact Tam for an interview but he refused. They additionally visited another house owned by Tam in Bangkok’s Thawi Watthana district yesterday, September 26, however he was not there.
Amarin TV reported that the home was rented and operated as a delivery firm. The company proprietor revealed to the media that he had rented the home for over a 12 months. Tam had been a enterprise partner of his for over 20 years and he did not know a lot about his private life.
The businessman mentioned he solely knew that Tam was rich and had firm branches in every province in the northeastern part of Thailand. He didn’t know if Tam and Big Joke were associated and had never met Big Joke in individual.
The commander of the Legal Affairs and Litigation Bureau, Trairong Phewphan, told Sanook that officers have been planning to summon Tam for questioning however didn’t reveal the schedule.
Despite the accusation of his involvement in online playing, Big Joke stays one of many favoured candidates for the choice of the new RTP commissioner. The choice is scheduled to be made at 1pm at present by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
UPDATE: Big Joke caught partying with main on-line gambling operator
Further suspicion has been solid on the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate ” Big Joke ” Hakparn, after a video recorded by a renowned Thai lawyer showed Big Joke singing with a leading on-line gambling operator at a party.
The former president of the Lamphun Warrior Football Club, Pongsiri “Tarn” Ratchawongsuek, and a Thai lady named Suchanan, also identified as Minnie, had been arrested for working online gambling websites. Following their arrest, police conducted further investigations and found that eight law enforcement officials had been reportedly concerned within the illegal companies.
The eight officers have been recognized as:
All eight police officers collaborated carefully with Deputy Commissioner Big Joke, resulting in the search of Big Joke’s residence and four different nearby houses belonging to his subordinates. The fifty three year outdated deputy initially refused officers entry into his residence but later permitted the Cyber Police to conduct an investigation on his premises. No illegal or suspicious objects had been discovered within the residence.
As of now, Big Joke remains harmless, and the investigation is ongoing. While the relevant departments proceed to work on the case, a viral video circulating on Thai social media has raised doubts about the deputy commissioner’s conduct.
A Twitter consumer, @joe_black317 , shared a video recorded yesterday by the famend Thai lawyer Sitta “Tum” Biabangkerd. In the video, Big Joke is seen singing at a celebration alongside the prominent playing operator Minnie.
Big Joke acknowledged attending the party featured in the video and clarified that it was organized for law enforcement officials in his group. At the time, he allowed his subordinates to invite their friends and family members, suggesting that someone might need invited Minnie to the gathering.
Big Joke maintained that he has no personal acquaintance with Minnie and has not had any contact along with her. He added that his amiable and sociable nature would possibly explain why people are inclined to approach him at such events.
Big Joke believes that there might be an inside battle within the RTP, and these allegations are an try and tarnish his popularity, as reported by the BBC. He famous that he had previously apprehended numerous corrupt police officers, which might be putting stress on sure people.
However, RTP Commissioner Damrongsak Kittipraphat asserted to the media that there is no inner conflict throughout the department. He emphasized his commitment to making sure justice for all parties and maintained Big Joke’s innocence.
ORIGINAL STORY: Big Joke accused of being concerned in an online gambling operation
Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers raided the home of Royal Thai Police (RTP) Deputy Commissioner Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn this morning over allegations of his involvement in a web-based playing operation. Big Joke denied the allegation and refused to permit officers to enter his home.
CCIB officers tried to raid 5 homes owned by Big Joke in Soi Vibhawadee 60 close to the Police Sports Club in Bangkok’s Lak Si district at 8am at present. One of the houses is Big Joke’s residence while the opposite four provide lodging for members of his staff.
Big Joke did not allow any officers to enter his house and the CCIB Commissioner, Worrawat Nakhonbancha, is now negotiating along with his fifty three 12 months previous deputy.
An arrest warrant for the Big Joke has not but been issued. The authorities’ main goal is to go looking his residence for potential evidence associated to the allegations and to conduct an intensive investigation.
According to Thai PBS, Big Joke’s financial transactions had been allegedly found to involve the former president of Lamphun Warrior Football Club, Pongsiri “Tarn” Ratchawongsuek . Tarn was previously arrested for working a web-based gambling site known as TS911.com and for money laundering through his support of the soccer group.
Following Tarn’s arrest, police raided a quantity of locations in the provinces of Petchaburi, Samut Prakarn, Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Sara Buri seeking the related suspects. Eleven individuals had been arrested in the raids, together with two law enforcement officials from Big Joke’s team.
Big Joke is favourite to be the new RTP Commissioner, as the present Commissioner, Damrongsak Kittipraphat, will retire on Sunday, October 1. The other three candidates are the three Deputy Commissioners, including Roy Ingkapairoj, Kittirat Phanphet and Torsak Sukvimol.
On demand shall be appointed by newly elected Prime Minister Srettha Tavisin and the selection is scheduled for Wednesday, September 27.
Big Joke has been allegedly implicated in a quantity of major instances, together with the recent murder of Police Major General Siwakorn Saibua. However, the case was recently transferred to the Crime Suppression Division by RTP Commissioner Damrongsak, leading many to suspect conflict inside the RTP.
Damrongsak asserted that he was transferring the Big Joke case not as a outcome of any performance points, however to ensure the safety of the investigation, citing it as a normal process throughout the RTP.
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