Thai Police Dismiss Deputy Chief Amidst Accusations of Involvement in Illegal Betting Syndicate
Let's dive into the juicy nitty-gritty of the recent events in Thailand's law enforcement landscape. The Royal Thai Police's disciplinary committee has bootleg smoker Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn, former Deputy Commissioner-General, off the force with a firm "heave-ho" due to his alleged involvement in an illicit digital gambling network.
On a Friday, the committee, in a unanimous vote, kicked the dude to the curb, denying him a cushy pension.
This digital gambling ring went by the catchy name of Betflix.
Apparently, ol' Surachate was busted by multiple police raids in the wild year of 2023, with the target being Betflix.
Thai authorities have slapped a money laundering charge on our ex-police chief and given him the axe as part of their disciplinary procedures for cops under investigation.
Surachate claims he's clean on the money laundering allegations, but he's been suspended from the force since August, when the higher-ups demanded he butt out.
The saga continues, with the recent death in prison of a former Thai cop, fondly known as "Joe Ferrari" for his affection for supercars. Seems he was serving a life sentence for offing a suspect during a brutal interrogation.
This story follows in the footsteps of the Thai Prime Minister's pledge to China's leader in February to beef up efforts against human trafficking crimes. In the same month, some serious Sino-Thai political pressure resulted in Thai police freeing over 7,000 victims from a notorious Myanmar gambling and human trafficking hub.
However, based on the available search results, there's no mention of Surachate facing specific charges related to the Betflix digital gambling network or money laundering. The heat is mainly on his missus, Sirinatda "Kubkip" Hakparn, who's been charged with affair-induced theft of 5.7 million baht [1][2]. To clarify Surachate’s legal predicament regarding gambling or money laundering charges, you'd need official statements or court records.
But hey, that's just the law - and Surachate - for ya!
In 2023, Thai authorities launched a series of police raids targeting a digital gambling network known as Betflix, leading to the alleged involvement of former Deputy Commissioner-General Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn. Despite being suspended since August, Surachate maintains his innocence against the money laundering charges he now faces as part of the disciplinary procedures. Meanwhile, his wife, Sirinatda "Kubkip" Hakparn, has been charged with theft of 5.7 million baht. However, there seems to be no specific mention of Surachate facing charges related to Betflix or money laundering in the available records.
