Picture courtesy of Naewna

 

Police General Surachate Hakparn, known as “Big Joke,” has revealed that former Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha personally instructed him to lead the crackdown on so-called “zero-dollar” tour operations linked to illegal Chinese businesses. Speaking on 3 November 2025, Surachate said he began the campaign while serving as Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, extending from the Phoenix boat disaster investigation to the broader suppression of Chinese-operated tour scams.

 

According to Surachate, the directive came during Prayut’s premiership, amid widespread concern about the impact of “zero-dollar” tours on Thailand’s tourism industry. These operations offered extremely cheap travel packages, often controlled by foreign groups who exploited tourists through compulsory shopping and overpricing schemes. The crackdown was part of a broader effort to curb money laundering and illegal Chinese business activities.

 

Surachate claimed that during the operation, the owner of one such tour network attempted to bribe him with 100 million baht in exchange for halting the investigation. He alleged that a then-serving national police chief contacted him directly, saying, “Hey Joke, they’re offering you 100 million, don’t go after them. We can split it, 50 million each.”

 

He recounted refusing the offer, replying, “Brother, you can keep it. But I can’t take it. Prime Minister Prayut ordered me to act, so I have to follow through.” Surachate said the crackdown ultimately led to the confiscation of over 20 billion baht in assets linked to the tour network.

 

“The Prime Minister still jokes with me about it,” Surachate said light-heartedly. “He once told me, ‘Joke, you’re a fool, they offered you 100 million, and you turned it down!’ I told him, ‘Sir, if I’d taken it, you’d have had me finished!’”

 

Authorities have not named the police chief mentioned in the alleged bribery attempt and no formal investigation has been announced so far. However, Surachate’s statement has reignited public debate about corruption and the influence of powerful networks in the tourism sector.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said ex-PM Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the crackdown on “zero-dollar” tours.

• He alleged a 100-million-baht bribe was offered through a senior police official to stop the investigation.

• The campaign reportedly seized assets worth over 20 billion baht from the illegal tour network.

 

Related Stories

 

Ex-Thai-police-chief-sues-judges-over-dismissal-ruling

 

Big-joke-challenges-judicial-conduct-in-admin-court-case

 

 

  Adapted  by  Asean  Now from Naewna 2025-11-06

 

 

 

 

So what?

So he actually said okay for another officer to take the money.

Should said: if you take, you loose your job and go to jail.

But no-this is thailand .. 😞

1 hour ago, Olav Seglem said:

So he actually said okay for another officer to take the money.

Should said: if you take, you loose your job and go to jail.

But no-this is thailand .. 😞

If you read more and understand it, you will find that Big Joke went along and during a crackdown took down the network and confiscated 20 billion. What do you think would had happened to the police chief who took the bribe then? So, in reality he said the opposite?

That's actually brilliant by Prayut. 

4 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

If you read more and understand it, you will find that Big Joke went along and during a crackdown took down the network and confiscated 20 billion. What do you think would had happened to the police chief who took the bribe then? So, in reality he said the opposite?

Spot on.

Olav seems to be having some difficulty with reading comprehension.

Incidentally, Big Joke has had a long and eventful career in the RTP... full of ups and downs.

I will never forget how he cleaned up CM Immigration PDQ some years ago.

Efficiency and courtesy prevailed under his authority.

After he left, the situation reverted to being disorganized and stressful. It has remained so ever since.

Maybe Big joke is telling all these stories to make himself look better if the commander would’ve taken 50 million he’d probably be living in Dubai right now and Thai government would say we don’t know where he is maybe we need to send out a red notice O L when did they ever send the red notice out for the Red Bull kid TIT

18 hours ago, CMHomeboy78 said:

Spot on.

Olav seems to be having some difficulty with reading comprehension.

Incidentally, Big Joke has had a long and eventful career in the RTP... full of ups and downs.

I will never forget how he cleaned up CM Immigration PDQ some years ago.

Efficiency and courtesy prevailed under his authority.

After he left, the situation reverted to being disorganized and stressful. It has remained so ever since.

He is one of the good guys, but they never get to shine in Thailand.

You have to wonder how much Chinese money went into discrediting him.  For all purpose he is the man they needed in charge of RTP

As I occasionally state on these forums every now and then: Prayuth was better.

Thought Big Joke was a good guy trouble is others were afraid he had to much power one thing is for sure his diaries must hold a lot of information regarding events under his watch !!!

Police corruption.

A normal news day in Thailand.

If he was so lilywhite, why did he not report the original attempt at bribery and the request to split the bribe from the other police officer to the NACC for investigation?

 

Maybe frightened of more bullet holes appearing in his car?

On 11/5/2025 at 3:48 PM, Olav Seglem said:

So he actually said okay for another officer to take the money.

Should said: if you take, you loose your job and go to jail.

But no-this is thailand .. 😞

Nonsense.   Big Joke didn't need to say anything more.  The implication is that if the other policeman tried to take that 100 billion bribe which Big Joke refused, he would have been liable for 100% of the repercussions when these zero dollar schemes were shut down. 

He put on a good show, but none of his policing ultimately proved effective.

 

Still plenty of scanmers and Chinese gangsters around. Another example: They still find overstayers who survived his much publicized "purge" of them.

Can anyone explain the reason he has raised this...by the way, is he still in the police, or does the media just like using his former title

1 hour ago, Classic Ray said:

If he was so lilywhite, why did he not report the original attempt at bribery and the request to split the bribe from the other police officer to the NACC for investigation?

 

Maybe frightened of more bullet holes appearing in his car?

Maybe he did report it but overruled, which is not unusual.

And bear in mind, he's still making waves and knows where all the bodies are. 

He's back!

Next prime Minister 

11 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

You have to wonder how much Chinese money went into discrediting him.  For all purpose he is the man they needed in charge of RTP

He was part of the power struggle that still is going on.

On 11/6/2025 at 6:09 AM, Georgealbert said:

The campaign reportedly seized assets worth over 20 billion baht from the illegal tour network.

 

 

And Prayut's cousin started a bus company to cater to those tours, because the previous company had all their buses confiscated.

Years later a court ruled the confiscation of the buses, I think it were over 1000, was unlawful and the company was cleared of wrongdoing.

He was the deputy National Police Chief for years in addition to being the director of immigration. It's likely  impossible that he didn't amass hundreds of millions, if not billions of baht during those many years in those offices. I do not think that he is the squeaky clean crime fighter that he represents himself to be. 

On 11/6/2025 at 6:09 AM, Georgealbert said:

Picture courtesy of Naewna

 

Police General Surachate Hakparn, known as “Big Joke,” has revealed that former Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha personally instructed him to lead the crackdown on so-called “zero-dollar” tour operations linked to illegal Chinese businesses. Speaking on 3 November 2025, Surachate said he began the campaign while serving as Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, extending from the Phoenix boat disaster investigation to the broader suppression of Chinese-operated tour scams.

 

According to Surachate, the directive came during Prayut’s premiership, amid widespread concern about the impact of “zero-dollar” tours on Thailand’s tourism industry. These operations offered extremely cheap travel packages, often controlled by foreign groups who exploited tourists through compulsory shopping and overpricing schemes. The crackdown was part of a broader effort to curb money laundering and illegal Chinese business activities.

 

Surachate claimed that during the operation, the owner of one such tour network attempted to bribe him with 100 million baht in exchange for halting the investigation. He alleged that a then-serving national police chief contacted him directly, saying, “Hey Joke, they’re offering you 100 million, don’t go after them. We can split it, 50 million each.”

 

He recounted refusing the offer, replying, “Brother, you can keep it. But I can’t take it. Prime Minister Prayut ordered me to act, so I have to follow through.” Surachate said the crackdown ultimately led to the confiscation of over 20 billion baht in assets linked to the tour network.

 

“The Prime Minister still jokes with me about it,” Surachate said light-heartedly. “He once told me, ‘Joke, you’re a fool, they offered you 100 million, and you turned it down!’ I told him, ‘Sir, if I’d taken it, you’d have had me finished!’”

 

Authorities have not named the police chief mentioned in the alleged bribery attempt and no formal investigation has been announced so far. However, Surachate’s statement has reignited public debate about corruption and the influence of powerful networks in the tourism sector.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said ex-PM Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the crackdown on “zero-dollar” tours.

• He alleged a 100-million-baht bribe was offered through a senior police official to stop the investigation.

• The campaign reportedly seized assets worth over 20 billion baht from the illegal tour network.

 

Related Stories

 

Ex-Thai-police-chief-sues-judges-over-dismissal-ruling

 

Big-joke-challenges-judicial-conduct-in-admin-court-case

 

 

  Adapted  by  Asean  Now from Naewna 2025-11-06

 

 

 

 

why am i nót surprised!

corrupt in every part...

Big Joke strikes again!

On 11/7/2025 at 8:20 AM, TheFishman1 said:

when did they ever send the red notice out for the Red Bull kid TIT

The "Red Bull kid" had his freedom bought and paid for by the family, a long time ago... get over it

On 11/7/2025 at 10:26 AM, Classic Ray said:

If he was so lilywhite, why did he not report the original attempt at bribery and the request to split the bribe from the other police officer to the NACC for investigation?

 

Maybe frightened of more bullet holes appearing in his car?

Unless he taped the cnversation there is nothing to charge as it would simply be his word against the other guy.

 

On 11/7/2025 at 8:48 PM, spidermike007 said:

He was the deputy National Police Chief for years in addition to being the director of immigration. It's likely  impossible that he didn't amass hundreds of millions, if not billions of baht during those many years in those offices. I do not think that he is the squeaky clean crime fighter that he represents himself to be. 

Still and we can not be sure of that you have to admit that he was probably the cleanest and most interested in solving problems of the bunch.