Big Joke's rehabilitation continues: Former immigration chief will sit at the top table of RTP after reshuffle

[webfact]

Daily News Thai Caption: Subject to royal consent

 

An announcement in the Government Gazette yesterday, subject to royal approval, revealed the annual Royal Thai Police reshuffle.

 

Some 255 senior commanders will take up new positions come October 1st, reported Daily News who concentrated on the most important names.

 

Top of the list was the new commander in chief of the RTP who will be confirmed as Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat - his nickname is Big Den, the notable one. He's the one on the left in the media's photo composite, minus his trademark glasses but with the prominent chin.

 

On the right of the picture is Pol Lt-Gen Torsak Sukwimol - Big Tor - who moves up from assistant commander to deputy commander.

 

Also following the same path - and easily the most recognisable face to both the Thai and non-Thai public - is the man in the center of the photo on the mike looking appropriately determined, suggests ASEAN NOW.

 

That is none other than Pol Lt-Gen Surachate Hakpan, the poster boy cop of the RTP known wherever he goes - and he goes everywhere - as Big Joke (joke here means congee, a favorite dish of the Lt-Gen who hails from southern Thailand).

 

The man is no joke in the other sense. 

 

Big Joke's spectacular rise and fall and rise again has led some to speculate that he is a chief of police in waiting. Others think that the charismatic cop who surrounds himself with a media savvy team may have a future in politics one day. 

 

The press and the public follow his every move.

 

He rose to public attention as deputy commander of the tourist police and then the chief of immigration before he was sensationally sacked.

 

It has been suggested that he got too big for his boots too quickly and for the best part of two years he was doing little more than shuffling paper at the PM's office.

 

He even went on a sabbatical to India to take stock. 

 

Then his vehicle - a Lexus - was shot at while he was visiting a spa in Surawong, a downtown district of Bangkok. Fallout from that incident led to the demotion of a senior policeman under the command of then RTP chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda.

 

The assailants on a motorcycle were never caught and the reasons for the potshots never ascertained. 

 

The reasons for his removal from immigration were equally shrouded in mystery. Though he was famous for trying to end the culture of "tips" in the organisation and, perhaps more tellingly, criticized the 2 billion baht implementation of the much vaunted Biometrics system.

 

However, following his fall it didn't take too long before Prayuth Chan-ocha - who led the Police Commission before his sidelining recently amid suggestions he has completed his 8 year tenure as premier - named Surachate as an assistant commander with special roles.

 

Once again Surachate was flying around the nation sorting out things from illegal fishing to human trafficking (both highly important for international recognition from other nations, especially the US).

He was also put in charge by retiring RTP chief Pol Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk of his personal baby, the "Smart Safety Zone 4.0" community policing initiative.

 

Where Surachate's new role takes him is anyone's guess but there is no doubting that now he is dining at the top table. 

 

Whether that means dining at the top trough - a common sly remark often aimed at the propensity of the RTP to engage in corrupt practices - rather depends on one's view of the Lt-Gen.

 

He has detractors who dislike his media presence as well as supporters who find him a breath of fresh air. 

Some even think he could be the one to end alleged long standing corrution in the RTP. Skeptics say that is impossible, it is too deeply ingrained in an organisation more akin to a quasi-mafia organisation than a responsible police force. 

 

Also rising from assistant to deputy commander - but not pictured - were lesser known figures Pol Lt-Gen Chinnaphat Sarasin and Pol Lt-Gen Kittirat Panpetch. 

 

Daily News also reported on dozens of lesser lights who have been reshuffled in this latest round of appointments that occurs at this time of every year in Thailand. 

 

Extra reporting and analysis by ASEAN NOW's news team. 

 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-09-08

 

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[Thaiwrath]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

for the best part of two years he was doing little more than shuffling paper at the PM's office.

That's all Prayut has done for the last 8 years, so, with that experience, Big Joke is guaranteed a place in politics !

[herfiehandbag]

It is good to see, looking at the bloke in the "Officer and a Gentleman" outfit that the blue button badges with a portrait of Elvis Presley are back in vogue...

[JingerBen]

Has he ever been convicted - or even charged - with malfeasance in office?

I don't think so.

When he was appointed head of CM Immigration some years ago he cleaned it up immediately.

Courtesy and efficiency prevailed as long as he was there.

After he left the situation reverted to status quo ante very quickly.

[SmartyMarty]

The annual party game of musical chairs.

[klauskunkel]

RTP is a PR disaster, scandals after scandals necessitate a public face that is less tarnished than anybody else in the force: in walks Big Joke, rising (pun alert) to the occasion one more time...

[bamnutsak]

An amazing resurrection. Most who did what he did do not return from the woodshed.

 

Can't see why he won't become national police chief in the future.

 

[Asquith Production]

For some reason Big Joke seems to give the RTP some respectability that no one else does. Whether that is his PR team or not I don't know. 

[Thomas KH]

Slowly but surely. He'll get there.

[spidermike007]

Big Joke’ was formerly the Chief of the Immigration Bureau until the 5th April 2019 when the then National Police Commissioner, General Chakthip Chaijinda, removed him without notice to an inactive post at police headquarters. And few know why he was dismissed. I think it was at least partly due to his constant presence in the press, and some of his unbelievably ignorant statements. 

 

This is a mistake of an incalculable degree. There is a reason why this publicity hound was ousted as the head of immigration. He is toxic. He is insincere. He is not capable. He hogs the spotlight. 

 

This is so typical of the "empty suit bureaucracy" that is so prevalent here. They just can't help themselves, always making the wrong decision. 

 

The RTP. Going from bad to worse, with no hope of reform or improvement. 

[Tarteso]

Thai Police at Work

 

The movie

 

 

[tandor]

...he never 'fell'...he just took a sabbatical this man will re-organize and make the RTP a professional and responsible police force. IMHO.

[shackleton]

Yes totally agree he is a future contender for the top position of police chief ???? 

[Bim Smith]

Promoted not on merit but how inherently corrupt they are and who they know. 

[Dogmatix]

He was always rumoured to be a "bagman", whatever that means, for Prawit when he was head of Immigration. He used to travel all over the country on important but often unspecified missions and did things like investigating illegal casinos that were nothing to do with Immigration. Then he allegedly upset someone rather important and had to be removed temporarily from the police, with only Prawit's intervention allegedly saving him from prison.  After an appropriate period on the bench with many wais and apologies Prawit was apparently to arrange for his rehab back into the police. This new appointment shows that Prawit is still pulling all the strings, as he was with Brother Prayut as the front man, but now openly. Big Joke's rise will come to an end if Big Pom (Prawit) loses power or Big Joke hits retirement, whichever comes first.  

[Levi Patterson]

How is it that there are so many Monday morning quarterbacks that can be so specific about who Big Joke may or not be? Okay, I’ll join the bandwagon. I believe that the man is underestimated and will be an asset for the RTP. The more power to him. You can say what you want, I recall him being against immigration officers taking money under the table.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

An amazing resurrection. Most who did what he did do not return from the woodshed.

 

Can't see why he won't become national police chief in the future.

 

"Most who did what he did ... ." So what did he do?

[GreasyFingers]

3 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

An amazing resurrection. Most who did what he did do not return from the woodshed.

 

Can't see why he won't become national police chief in the future.

 

maybe they will shoot him instead of his car.

[BonMot]

As I recall, he was no friend to farang.

 

[BonMot]

8 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

That's all Prayut has done for the last 8 years, so, with that experience, Big Joke is guaranteed a place in politics !

Doubt. He's police not military.

[Stevemercer]

He got offside with his boss, the Chief of the RTP, by threatening to blow the lid on high level corruption associated with the immigration biometrics project (a pet project of the RTP Chief). 

 

I think he might have a different style if he makes it to Chief. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

I have no time for this person, I do not rate him in any way and am amazed the press build him up like someone special.

I think the header should have said "floated to the top".

[peterfranks]

Just now, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

I have no time for this person, I do not rate him in any way and am amazed the press build him up like someone special.

I think the header should have said "floated to the top".

Maybe you are worrying?

[BonMot]

Anyone remember that weird shoot out thing? Might have been in Satorn...?

[metisdead]

A post with an off topic question about emojis and the replies have been removed.

[Dogmatix]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

"Most who did what he did ... ." So what did he do?

This is not something that can be discussed here.

[worldexpress]

I am more entertained by the writing style of the author(s) of some of these articles. I'm sure my American compatriots would agree.

[rumak]

11 hours ago, JingerBen said:

When he was appointed head of CM Immigration some years ago he cleaned it up immediately.

The CM office had people lining up at 5 am just to get in ..... and treating people pretty bad .

Big Joke made a visit and  voila ............. all of a sudden everything was cleaned up !

Now,  its slipped a bit, but not so bad .   And still a lot less people (covid)  than that time before

[bristolgeoff]

From the top to the bottom and back to the top,only in thailand it would seem that officals can do this or asia at lest.I may have seen big joke in cnx a few years ago when i was renewing my visa,but i,am not sure someone signed off my visa back then

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

An amazing resurrection. Most who did what he did do not return from the woodshed.

 

Can't see why he won't become national police chief in the future.

 

I wish he would... he seems to be one of the few that understand what the job entails.