Battle erupts inside the Royal Thai Police as Big Joke renews corruption claims and Big Tai dodges parliament. With billions in grey capital, 200 officers under investigation, and public trust collapsing, Thailand’s top cops face their deepest crisis in decades.
Pressure is surging on the Royal Thai Police as the online scamming crisis and its ties to Cambodian grey capital dominate national politics. On Thursday, Police Chief General Kittirat Phanphet skipped a key House committee hearing, drawing open contempt from its chairman, Rangsiman Rome. At the same time, dismissed deputy chief General Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn has launched a renewed assault on what he calls corrupt factions inside the force that he claims engineered his 2024 ouster, intensifying scrutiny of police leadership and its failure to curb cybercrime.
Thai Police Chief General Kittirat Phanphet on Thursday refused to answer questions at Government House about remarks from former deputy chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn. At the same time, MP Rangsiman Rome blasted Kittirat for dodging Parliament’s security panel, accusing him of evading accountability. (Source: Thai Rath)
Police General Kittirat Phanphet, the National Police Commissioner, refused to answer questions from reporters on Thursday regarding former Deputy National Police Chief General Surachate Hakparn. The exchange occurred at Government House at 10:50 a.m. on November 6, 2025. The national police chief, known as “Big Tai,” raised his hand and shook his head when asked about Surachate.
He then turned away without comment and entered a meeting room to sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to combat technology crimes.
The gesture came as pressure mounted inside the Royal Thai Police over new corruption claims. Former Deputy National Police Chief Surachate Hakparn, widely known as “Big Joke,” had again accused the force’s cybercrime unit of complicity with gambling and scam networks. His comments reignited one of the most damaging internal scandals in years.
Surachate renews claims of cyber police corruption and failures to prosecute scam and gambling networks
Surachate was dismissed from service last year following a disciplinary case overseen by Kittirat. Since then, he has repeatedly alleged that elements within the Technology Crime Suppression Division, or TCSD, were protecting organised cybercrime groups.
He said the unit failed to bring major scam operators to court despite extensive evidence. On November 5, Surachate published a lengthy Facebook post defending his remarks. General Surachate denied insulting the country’s 200,000 police officers. He said his criticism was directed only at the cyber division. Furthermore, he claimed that some of its officers had allowed illegal gambling websites and online scam networks to flourish.
Moreover, he alleged that testimony had been altered in criminal cases, weakening prosecutions and leading to dropped charges. He said those actions had caused public trust in the police to collapse. According to him, a small group of corrupt officers had tainted the image of thousands of honest men and women in uniform.
In the same post, Surachate accused certain commanders of using the wider force as a shield to avoid accountability. He said the behaviour of a few had damaged morale and created divisions within the ranks. He also said many officers feared speaking out.
Former deputy chief warns corruption is destroying morale and turning police into a criminal organisation
He described growing disillusionment in the provinces, including his home province of Songkhla. He said police there were frustrated by what they saw as systemic favouritism and impunity for senior officers.
According to him, this climate had driven increasing numbers of resignations. Surachate said he spoke out because he wanted the Royal Thai Police to survive. He said he remained proud of the organisation and would not see it destroyed by corruption.
However, he warned that continued inaction would turn the force into a “large criminal organisation.”
In his statement, Surachate said some officer networks were collecting between ฿300 and ฿400 million per month from gambling operations. The former top cop cited lawyer Atchariya Ruangrattanapong as the source of that claim.
Big Joke said this money was being extracted from criminal activities tied to online scams. He said the scale of those operations had shocked the public and prompted calls to move police units to other ministries.
After that, he accused senior leaders of failing to defend the rank and file. He said no one had stood up to protect the reputation of the 200,000 officers working honestly. According to him, many feared losing their positions or being transferred.
Board orders former police chief and 200 officers to face corruption charges after complaint upheld
General Surachate’s allegations followed earlier claims submitted to the Police Complaints Review Board in March 2024. That complaint was upheld at the end of October when the board ordered former National Police Commissioner General Torsak Sukwimol and 200 officers to be held legally accountable for corruption and illicit acts.
At that time, Big Joke’s lawyers formally accused then–National Police Chief General Torsak and 200 senior officers of corruption and illegal conduct. In an emergency response, both Surachate and Torsak were suspended by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pending investigation.
Later, a Prime Ministerial panel confirmed corruption but focused mainly on internal factionalism. It said rivalries between senior officers had damaged discipline and public confidence. After those findings, General Kittirat Phanphet was confirmed as acting national police chief and later appointed to the role. This followed a brief return by General Torsak Sukwimol to the position before his retirement.
Soon afterwards, a Bangkok police station filed a case linking Surachate to gambling website payments. He denied all charges and said they were part of an attempt to ruin his career.
Lawyers revive corruption scandal as parliament demands police leadership explain growing crisis
Nevertheless, disciplinary proceedings under Kittirat led to his dismissal from the force. Meanwhile, reports continued to allege systemic graft. Sources said senior officers were collecting large monthly sums from criminal syndicates.
Activist lawyer Sittra Biabangkerd took up the corruption complaints but was later charged with fraud. Authorities said the charge stemmed from a dispute with a client over investment funds. Sittra denied wrongdoing but was denied bail until his release recently.
After that, activist lawyer Atchariya Ruangrattanapong revived the corruption case. Atchariya, a well-known legal campaigner, had earlier represented General Torsak during his dispute with Surachate.
As the scandal spread, attention shifted to Parliament. On November 6, People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome called for the national police chief to testify before the House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy, and National Reform. He said the committee had received a formal letter from Surachate outlining corruption inside the police force.
Police chief fails to appear before parliament as lawmakers probe links between officers and grey capital
Two sessions were held. The morning meeting focused on the alleged harassment of officers. The afternoon session examined police appointments and possible links to corruption. Rangsiman said the National Anti-Corruption Commission was already investigating related matters involving so-called “grey capital” groups. He said the probe could reach political figures.
However, General Kittirat declined to attend the meeting, citing scheduling conflicts. He assigned Deputy National Police Chief General Kornchai Klaiklueng to represent him. Kornchai also did not appear. Rangsiman said the failure to testify raised questions about the leadership’s willingness to confront the allegations.
He told reporters that continued silence would deepen public suspicion. “If we don’t clarify the facts, the damage will only grow,” he said. He added that 200,000 officers were watching their superiors for signs of transparency.
Rangsiman Rome accuses police hierarchy of avoiding scrutiny as black police rise inside the force
Rangsiman said Parliament was using legal mechanisms to obtain facts, not to attack the police. He said both accusers and accused had the right to present evidence before lawmakers. However, he said the police chief’s absence looked like avoidance. “If this isn’t running away from the problem, what is?” he asked.
He described a system that allowed “black police” to rise while honest officers were sidelined. He said such promotions showed deep flaws in the institution. According to him, the committee wanted answers about how corrupt officers had advanced despite ongoing scandals.
While acknowledging Surachate’s extensive experience and insight, Rangsiman said he did not trust him completely. He said every claim must be verified through evidence. Still, he noted that Surachate’s criticisms reflected real problems within the police structure.
He cited Police Major General Pavin Pongsirin as an example of an honest officer who dared to speak publicly. He said the existence of such officers proved the entire organisation was not corrupt.
Reform calls as corruption claims widen and government faces pressure to overhaul Royal Thai Police
Rangsiman said long-term reform was essential to restore confidence. He referred to police reform proposals already before the House of Representatives. He said the current system had allowed misconduct to thrive unchecked.
However, he added that he did not expect major change under the current government led by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. He said any real reform would have to wait until after the next election.
Tensions inside the Royal Thai Police remain high. General Surachate continues to claim that organised crime has penetrated senior levels of the force. He said the cyber division’s failure to act has protected illegal gambling and scam networks.
Meanwhile, the national police chief has remained silent. His refusal to answer questions on Thursday added to perceptions of an internal standoff. The controversy has now spread beyond the police, reaching Parliament and the national press.
Growing public alarm over scam networks as police silence deepens and inquiries widen into corruption
Public concern over online scams is also growing. Many of these operations are believed to operate from Cambodia, using Thai networks and accounts. Authorities say such cross-border schemes have defrauded hundreds of thousands of Thai citizens.
The dispute between “Big Tai” and “Big Joke” now symbolises wider divisions inside Thai law enforcement. One side faces allegations of corruption and cover-ups. The other is accused of opportunism and self-interest while still fighting a criminal case before the courts.
Yet the facts remain stark. Multiple inquiries are active. Allegations involve hundreds of millions of baht in illegal payments every month. Parliamentary committees are demanding explanations. The government faces mounting pressure to act.
For now, the top brass remains silent. The police chief has not announced plans to appear before lawmakers at a senior level. His office has given no new statement on the allegations.
Royal Thai Police faces its deepest credibility crisis as leadership silence fuels public mistrust
General Surachate continues to post online and address the media. He insists he is defending honest officers and the reputation of the police. His critics say his record is tainted by past cases, including the online gambling probe.
Bombshell as former Police Chief Torsak and 200 senior officers are linked to corruption by board
Claims of a death warrant or contract taken out on a political murder victim’s life made by anti-corruption activist
Despite those disputes, investigations continue. The Police Complaints Review Board, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and the parliamentary committee all remain active. Each is seeking evidence of systemic wrongdoing and factional rivalry within the police.
As of this week, no clear resolution has emerged. The Royal Thai Police remains divided, under pressure, and facing its most serious credibility crisis, perhaps ever. Public trust continues to erode. Political oversight is intensifying. And the silence from its top leadership remains unbroken.
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Further reading:
Bombshell as former Police Chief Torsak and 200 senior officers are linked to corruption by board
Cambodian scam centre mess in Thailand threatens to topple interim government sooner rather than later
Deputy Minister of Finance Woraphak bows out after only 33 days amid furore over scammer centre claims
PM asks top minister for explanation as ex official claims Hun Sen started war to protect his scam centre industry
High powered, secretive meeting chaired by PM agrees robust action against Cambodian networks
Thailand and Cambodia face danger from ‘Dragon Head’ the Chinese mafia leader behind the scams
Cambodia lashes out at Anutin’s call to South Korean President Lee Jae-myung as internal interference
Cyber police and Money Laundering agency seek UK and US co-operation targeting Cambodian networks
