Officers warned of a thin line between crime and policing as the force confronts extortion case

[webfact]

Deputy National Police Chief General Surachate Hakparn, also known as ‘Big Joke’ briefed the media, on Sunday, at the Police Club in Bangkok as a task force met with senior police officers by appointment for questioning over a complaint filed by the owner of an illegal gambling website in Pathum Thani over a week ago alleging extortion and corruption. On Sunday also, whistleblower Chuwit Kamolvisit issued a bulletin to his followers suggesting that the case may be a prelude to further fallout within the Royal Thai Police.

The latest corruption scandal related to allegations made by the owners of a gambling website known as ‘Foxbet 168’ who say they already paid ฿85 million to the go-betweens acting for senior police officers connected with raids on three locations on May 23rd last in Bangkok and Nonthaburi.

 

The complaint was lodged with Khu Khot Police Station in Pathum Thani over a week ago. All the officers involved have denied any wrongdoing and on Sunday, spoke confidently with the press as they arrived to be interviewed by a police task force in Bangkok.

Deputy National Police Commissioner General Surachate Hakparn or ‘Big Joke’ on Sunday warned that there is a thin line between breaking the law and police work as he vowed to prosecute all officers found to be culpable in a new corruption scandal engulfing the force and involving police officers in Chonburi, Rayong and on a national level, within the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) after the operators of an illegal gambling website ‘Foxbet 168’, which was raided on May 23rd last, claimed that an attempt was made to extort ฿140 million while paying over ฿85 million to avoid legal prosecution.

 

The case is said to have implicated up to 12 police officers including the Provincial Police Chief in Chonburi, Police Major General Kamphon Leelaprapaporn, who was called to explain himself on Sunday. The top Chonburi officer, his subordinates and other officers in the force who were called in for questioning, adamantly protested their innocence in the matter saying they were simply doing their duty.

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/06/19/officers-charged-policing-scandal-gambling-website-firefox-168-140-million-baht-extortion/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-06-20

 

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[bunnydrops]

A really thin line.

[HighPriority]

We take corruption very seriously !

[brucegoniners]

What line?

[stoner]

25 minutes ago, brucegoniners said:

What line?

the straight one ? 

[sammieuk1]

I would say its the dirty fat line that's the problem ????

[ezzra]

" He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone" It will be interesting to check and see the financials wealth of big Joke himself and see if what his got earned honestly form his salary and nothing more as I'm sure that he's not a man who lives on his salary alone.

[Gsxrnz]

Storm in a teacup....or a bowl of rice soup.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The top Chonburi officer, his subordinates and other officers in the force who were called in for questioning, adamantly protested their innocence in the matter saying they were simply doing their duty.

As they see it yes.

Self enrichment.

[ChipButty]

Some of them are on the wrong side of that thin line 

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

Being ex-police, there is no THIN LINE, you either are corrupt or not, fact is as the RTO hate criticism and refuse to apologise for anything they do wrong sadly it is percieved Corruption is endemic from the TOP down and recently Senior Police officers actions have proved that this seems to be true. It would takle a concert4d effort for ALL ranks to clean up the RTP . Mot in my lifetime sadly !

[2baht]

2 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

What line?

The fine line between pleasure and pain!

They've done it once

They can do it again!

[2baht]

45 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

As they see it yes.

Self enrichment.

Following their job description! 

[TheFishman1]

I think this whole thing was just a misunderstanding and if you weeks, this will all be swept under the carpet why TIT

[mikebell]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

protested their innocence in the matter saying they were simply doing their duty.

Serving and Protecting themselves (against Inflation.)

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Some of them are on the wrong side of that thin line 

Most.

[Dan O]

Am I reading this correctly?

 

They made the statement that they needed to draft a law making it illegal to extort money or accept bribes from criminals  and that it would be very difficult but that it could be done if they added a clause that gives descretion on a case by case basis. WTF! 

[rwill]

3 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

What line?

They tried to get a photo of people pointing at it but couldn't find anything to point at.

[bamnutsak]

3 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

What line?

At the bank, making deposits.

 

 

 

[chalawaan]

In case anyone missed it in the last ten years or so, the deputy chief of the RTP is also known as Big Joke.????

 

This nickname sadly, should apply to most of the entire police force. 

 

But the army is definitely the punch line. 

 

  

[khunpeer]

3 hours ago, stoner said:

the straight one ? 

the thin one! ????

[MikeandDow]

Think Thailand has beaten somalia

[chalawaan]

Bigwig At HQ: "You've been called here to explain yourself!"

 

Usual suspect: "Yes Sir! But it's all a misunderstanding, and I was only following orders..."

 

HQ Bigwig: "Silence! ...when you speak to a superior; now where's my share and why isn't it bigger?"

 

[brianthainess]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

adamantly protested their innocence in the matter saying they were simply doing their duty

or Following orders? now where have I heard that before, was it Nuremburg ? 

[spidermike007]

The RTP are not law enforcement. They are revenue collection agents, working their own franchise. And the further up the chain, the more money involved. 

 

They may engage in occasional law enforcement duties, if compelled or if face is required. Do not expect any more of them. 

[lordgrinz]

How do you even start to cleanup a police force built by people who buy their positions, not earn them by merit? The police force seems to be run like a Mafia, the spoils work their way to the top, and favors are rewarded. Extortion, corrupting, bribery, they even dish out punishment in the same way (e.g. "Joe Ferrari").

[rudi49jr]

I’m quite sure most officers are well aware of the thin line between crime and policing, but not for the right reasons. And that is why they joined the RTP in the first place: because it’s just so easy for the RTP to act as a mafia and collect huge illegal sums of money. One becomes a Thai police officer to get a slice of that pie and one is prepared to pay handsomely for that ‘privilege’. The system is rotten to the core, from the bottom all the way to the top, and the higher up you get, the more corrupt they are and the more money they make. Absolutely disgusting.

[MikeandDow]

The corruption culture is imbedded in society, it starts in the schools with parents paying for higher grades or school placements, or to pass driver’s license tests students learn young and unfortunately some go into the police or goverment,

Its part of the Thai's way of life, Thai's are in some form of coruption,

There are different forms of corruption, including bribery, embezzlement, extortion, networking, under-the-table transactions, manipulation of the election result, money laundering, and lots more.
 

[Mr Meeseeks]

11 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

What line?

The bottom line.

 

Money Number One. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

It's quite obvious that the Chonburi mob thought they could keep all that money for themselves and not kick upstairs in the normal manner. Unfortunately for them, someone higher up found out.

 

Their punishment, if any, and the money they will have to pay to continue on in uniform will largely depend on which clan they are affiliated with.