A NATIONAL police panel voted 12-0 to uphold an order issued by acting police chief Pol. Gen. Kitirat Phanphet last April temporarily dismissing Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakphan, nicknamed Big Joke, who is facing charges of being linked to online gambling websites, Thai Rath newspaper said this afternoon (June 26).
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had transferred both National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimon and Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Surachet to work at the Prime Minister’s Office in March but the former was permitted to resume his position last week following an investigation into internal conflict within the police force.
In presiding over a meeting of the Police Commission, Srettha and the panel members considered whether the order dismissing Pol. Gen. Surachate is legal or not after a police disciplinary subcommittee found that this order did not breach the law but Pol. Gen. Surachete could file a case in court on this action.
Srettha spent three hours persuading the police panel to scrap the temporary dismissal order but failed to sway them with 12-0 senior police officers attending the meeting voting to continue his temporary dismissal.
CAPTION:
Top: Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakphan, nicknamed “Big Joke”, left, and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, right. Photo: Thai Rath
Front Page: File photo of Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakphan. Photo: Naewna
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