Big Joke Supreme Court Bribery Probe Starts

Former deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, widely known as “Big Joke”, appeared at the Supreme Court on Monday 6 July 2026, alongside his lawyer to face corruption allegations linked to the alleged gold-bribe scandal. The case centres on claims that he offered gold to influence an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) into an online gambling-related case involving him.

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Pol Gen Surachate left the court smiling and said the details of the case would be addressed by his lawyer. Proceedings on Monday were held in private before a nine-member independent inquiry panel appointed to investigate the allegations.

Earlier on Monday, the panel summoned NACC commissioner Ekawit Watchawalku, Pol Gen Surachate, former NACC subcommittee member Sombat Tharatham, and Surasit, whose surname was withheld and who is Mr Ekawit’s driver, to formally acknowledge the allegations.

The allegations claim that Mr Ekawit accepted a bribe of 246 baht-weight of gold, worth millions of baht, from Pol Gen Surachate while the NACC was investigating the online gambling case against the former deputy national police chief. Police allege the gold was intended to influence the NACC’s consideration of that investigation.

Pol Gen Surachate has denied the allegations, maintained his innocence and challenged the police investigation through his legal team. His lawyer, Sanyaphatchara Samart, said the independent inquiry panel had formally notified his client of the alleged misconduct for the first time, beyond what had previously been reported in the media.

Because the allegations involve a serving NACC commissioner, the commission cannot investigate the matter itself. Under the constitution, the president of the Supreme Court is authorised to appoint an independent inquiry panel to conduct the investigation instead.

According to Mr Sanyaphatchara, a written explanation will be submitted on Aug 5, followed by oral testimony. The panel has scheduled its first official hearing for Aug 27.

Bangkokpost reported that the case marks the start of formal proceedings before the independent panel and will determine how the allegations are examined under the constitutional process. Further developments are expected after the written submissions and the first official hearing later next month.

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8 July 2026

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