Big Joke shooting: Alleged corruption in biometrics and smart car projects take center stage

[webfact]

Big Joke shooting: Alleged corruption in biometrics and smart car projects take center stage

 

Thai caption: Threatened before giving evidence? 

Picture: Sanook

 

A lawyer has claimed that alleged corruption in the procurement of the biometrics and smart car projects lie at the heart of the shooting at the car of former immigration chief Lt-Gen Surachate "Big Jok" Hakparn on Monday.

 

Both projects - together totalling more than 2 billion baht - have been trumpeted by the Royal Thai Police and the Immigration Bureau in particular. 

 

But lawyer Sitra Biabangkert has said that Big Joke voiced opposition in a letter to both projects. And he is due to give evidence to the National Counter Corruption Commission about both projects. 

 

Big Joke's Lexus car was shot at eight times on Monday while he was inside an establishment in the Suriwong area. 

 

Speculation has been rife that this was a warning to the charismatic former poster boy of the RTP - or even an attempt on his life. 

 

Sitra said on Facebook that if and when Big Joke gives evidence in the biometrics and smart car procurement cases he will expose illegal activity of those behind the schemes. 

 

In a barely veiled reference to the RTP he said that the NACC case goes to the heart of  Pathumwan (the HQ of the RTP) and Surachate knows plenty. 

 

The lawyer asked the media to pose the pertinent questions to RTP chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda: Is the shooting connected to corruption? And how did such a thing happen in Bangkok?

 

And the media should ask Surachate if he still intends to give evidence in the biometrics and smart car cases.

 

Meanwhile cryptic comments from the man at the center of the drama only added fuel to the fire of speculation,notes Thaivisa. 

 

Daily News quoted Big Joke as saying that the truth will come out when they catch the men who shot at his car. He urged the media to just be patient. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

He said that he was just doing his duty as the special adviser to the Prime Minister. He was abruptly removed from his job at the Immigration Bureau last April and given the largely clerical position. 

 

Before that his career had assumed stellar proportions both at the IB and as deputy commander of the tourist police. Speculation was rife after his fall from grace but now it appears he may have been the fall guy for someone or some others in the force.

 

Surachate told Daily News that he does not have doubts about chief Chakthip and that he had not spoken to DPM Prawit Wongsuwan about the shooting. 

 

Thaivisa notes that Surachate and Prawit were known to have a close relationship after Prawit helped promote his career.

 

A report by Sanook said that the shooting was an assassination attempt and that Surachate believed that was so. Others have suggested it was merely a threat. 

 

Surachate has already told the police that it has nothing to do with a woman or conflict over business, comments that will only add to the speculation that it involves something potentially much more sinister. 

 

Thai caption: They wanted to kill me!

Picture: Sanook

 

He echoed comments made by the lead investigator in the case that this was a brazen attack in the heart of the city, could have a detrimental effect on tourism and should be solved quickly. 

 

Thaivisa notes that the Immigration Bureau - mostly through their sympathetic media arm Naew Na - have been praising the effectiveness of the biometrics system at airports and land borders. And the smart cars equipped with technology to catch people like overstayers on the spot have similarly been hyped up. 

 

However, both systems have been the subject of ridicule in some quarters as well as claims that they were just a waste of money. 

 

Now it appears that Big Joke knows a lot about both projects - and someone or some people may want to stop him from telling what he knows. 

 

Sources: Sanook | Daily News | Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-01-08

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[RotBenz8888]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

Alleged corruption

Corruption???? Naa, that can't be true...

[RandolphGB]

He’ll do an Epstein. 

[LivinLOS]

Corruption.. In a multi billion procurement program.. In Thailand ?? 

 

I dont believe it.. 

[mickymouse1]

????????????????????????????????????

[colinneil]

What nonsense, saying maybe an attempt on his life, when he was in a knocking shop at the time of the shooting.

It was a warning to him, keep your mouth shut.

[Jip99]

5 minutes ago, colinneil said:

What nonsense, saying maybe an attempt on his life, when he was in a knocking shop at the time of the shooting.

It was a warning to him, keep your mouth shut.

 

 

 

Spot on.

 

 

Someone 'marking his card'.

[ChipButty]

These guys have got no shame, in the next breath telling people to shower less only 1 s-hit a day and dont plant any rice

Will the truth ever come out?

[RotBenz8888]

I think it's just staged by BJ who wants to be in the spotlight again. 

[Golden Triangle]

1 hour ago, RandolphGB said:

He’ll do an Epstein. 

What's that ? Manage a famous 60s band ????

[Artisi]

18 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

These guys have got no shame, in the next breath telling people to shower less only 1 s-hit a day and dont plant any rice

Will the truth ever come out?

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[holy cow cm]

I am so glad he is close friends with such a honest person as Prawit.

[Artisi]

Maybe Big Joke should join the Future Forward party and really cause a stir ????

[NCC1701A]

49 minutes ago, colinneil said:

What nonsense, saying maybe an attempt on his life, when he was in a knocking shop at the time of the shooting.

It was a warning to him, keep your mouth shut.

this happens to me all the time in Hua Hin.

the cops don't even show up any more.

 

my Honda Click is about to fall apart.

[bluesofa]

54 minutes ago, colinneil said:

What nonsense, saying maybe an attempt on his life, when he was in a knocking shop at the time of the shooting.

It was a warning to him, keep your mouth shut.

As opposed to her, who probably kept her mouth open...

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, RandolphGB said:

He’ll do an Epstein. 

With or without "assistance"?

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

this happens to me all the time in Hua Hin.

the cops don't even show up any more.

 

my Honda Click is about to fall apart.

You wish ????

[sammieuk1]

Just wait and lexus see corruption what corruption????

[Artisi]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

As opposed to her, who probably kept her mouth open...

You can assume something was open for business 

[KhunBENQ]

Was always amazed to see these brand-new BMW model 5 in front of the immigration offices.

Does the fog clear about his sudden removal?

 

[outsider]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A lawyer has claimed that alleged corruption in the procurement of the biometrics and smart car projects...

 

... will expose illegal activity of those behind the schemes. 

 

NO!!! No, no, no. You guys got it all wrong. The new, shining light government will NEVER EVER let this happen. There is no corruption, no illegal activities. This is false news.

 

[colinneil]

12 minutes ago, madmen said:

The shooters didnt know that, assuming they didnt stop to have gawk through 100% tinted windows

Then why did they shoot low?

Those shots were to frighten, nothing else.

[yellowboat]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

could have a detrimental effect on tourism

Anybody who goes to Thailand should already be aware of its rollicking embrace of violence, thievery and noise.  As all on this forum know, there are drawbacks living in and visiting "paradise".

[TheFishman1]

How these government employees get a Lexus Car o wait TIT

[RedPill]

10 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

How these government employees get a Lexus Car o wait TIT

A high level ranked officer and a simple Lexus, a pimped up version of the Toyota. Why is that so special? Why is that TIT? That's actually a quite modest and low profile kind of car.

 

Get the bigger picture ... the hints towards those two, billion baht projects, are the first more tangible bits of news ... that's TIT.

 

 

[Jimbo2014]

The Godfather, Sopranos, Gambino family.  They all have nothing on the way this mob runs the madhouse.

[silomdon232]

So, the main question here is, did anyone actually see Big Joke?

 

hes not been seen for so long I guess he was brown read already.

[wombat]

If that was an assassination attempt.!

[silomdon232]

Did Anyone actually see big joke?

Seeing ghosts more like!

[sead]

Now everything starts to clear up about why he got removed.  This things gets planned months ahead