Thailand Sacks Senior Police Officer Over Gambling and Fraud Allegations

Thailand has dismissed one of its most prominent police officers, Surachate Hakparn, over alleged involvement in illegal gambling and financial fraud. The former deputy police chief, widely known as “Big Joke”, was officially removed from his post on Tuesday, according to a police statement.

Surachate was implicated in “Betflix”, a large-scale illegal online gambling network targeted in a series of raids in 2023. Charged with money laundering, he denied the accusations but was suspended while an investigation was conducted. Thai authorities stated that his dismissal aligns with disciplinary procedures for officers under investigation.

Illegal gambling remains a major concern in Thailand, where most forms of betting are banned. The government has been working to dismantle illicit gambling operations, often linked to foreign entities.

Surachate, a longtime figure in Thai law enforcement, was appointed Immigration Bureau Chief in 2018 by then-deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwan. His sudden removal in 2019 raised speculation, but he later returned in 2021 as a special police adviser under former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha.

He now has 30 days to appeal the decision. Former deputy police chief Aek Angsananont, now a member of the national police committee, confirmed that Surachate has the right to challenge his dismissal.

His removal comes shortly after the death of ex-policeman Thitisan Utthanaphon, known as “Joe Ferrari”, who was serving a life sentence for the murder of a suspect during a brutal interrogation.

Last month, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra urged the Royal Thai Police to intensify efforts against human trafficking and drug-related crimes as part of broader law enforcement reforms.