THE POLICE disciplinary committee unanimously voted to dismiss and not lay off former deputy national police chief Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakphan, nicknamed Big Joke, who faced charges of being linked to online gambling websites, Amarin TV said this evening (March 7).
The meeting’s resolution will now be forwarded to National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet to sign the order dismissing him without bonus or pension.
This police committee is chaired by Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelabut, the national police inspector general, but he did not attend the meeting. Instead Pol. Gen. Kraiboon Suadsong, the most senior deputy national police chief, chaired the meeting which was attended by all deputy national police chiefs as committee members.
The National Police Act 2022, Section 125, stipulates that when a police officer commits serious disciplinary offence, with the person in authority being the National Police Chief, the punishment is either lay off or dismissal.
However, according to the procedure the National Police Chief cannot issue an order immediately with a committee having to recommend the punishment to be meted out and he then having to order it.
Even so, Pol. Gen. Surachate is allowed to appeal to the Police Ethics Protection Committee and if this committee upholds the punishment he can appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court whose decision is final.
Pol. Gen. Surachate and five of his subordinates were accused of being involved in the Minnie online gambling network but the National Anti-Corruption Commission decided to itself investigate this case and not return it to the police Anti-Corruption Division to do so.
However another case cropped up with Tao Poon police station accusing Pol. Gen Surachate of involvement in BNK Master online gambling network.
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Former deputy national police chief Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakphan. Top photo: Amarin TV
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