Senior Police Ethics Committee official denies the decision on Big Joke is already made. News expected next week, dismisses reports of a 6-0 vote against the dismissed deputy police chief.
On Thursday, a senior official attached to the Police Ethics Committee deciding the fate of Big Joke or General Surachate Hakparn suggested that a decision on the matter could be expected next week. He said the key parties to the question of the validity of the order dismissing the senior police officer will be notified first of the decision. Furthermore, he insisted that no decision had yet been made. In particular, he dismissed reports of a 6-0 decision to confirm General Surachate’s dismissal.
On Thursday, the Assistant Secretary-General of the Police Ethics Protection Committee (PEPC) addressed swirling media reports regarding decisions on the future of now-dismissed deputy police chief General Surachate Hakparn.
Police Lieutenant General Anucha Romyanand insisted that a decision by the committee had not been made at this time.
Assistant Secretary-general denies a decision has already been made regarding General Surachate’s future status
It came following a hearing on Tuesday, July 30th.
At it, General Surachate is reported to have made a 2-hour presentation to the six-member panel. Afterwards, he told reporters he was relaxed about the outcome, one way or the other.
Big Joke presents his case orally to a Police Ethics Committee which will decide his immediate fate
Big Joke gets the boot backdated to April 18th. Now he must legally fight the order to sack him in the Administrative Court
At the same time, the committee heard from former acting police chief General Kittirat Phanphet.
In turn, he explained why his April 18th order removing General Surachate from the police force was lawful. This order was countersigned by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and subsequently ratified on June 26 by the Police Commission in a 12-0 vote.
General Surachate Hapkarn and former Acting Police Chief presented cases to the six-member Ethics panel
Afterwards, General Anucha revealed that the panel had continued discussing the matter until 7 PM in the evening.
After that, they resumed on Thursday, August 1st, and finished at 1:45 PM. The senior police officer said the panel, in addition, was required to review up to 1,000 documents linked to this high-profile case.
Further meetings are scheduled, and he insisted no decision has yet been made. Nonetheless, he refused to comment on speculation that a 6-0 decision had been made in principle, in short confirming General Surachate’s removal from the police.
General Anucha countered that he could not comment on the deliberations of the committee. However, he suggested that these reports were just media speculation at this time.
Police Ethics Committee continues to review over 1,000 documents and deliberate with no decision confirmed yet
He explained that a decision is likely to be finalised on Tuesday or later next week. Following this, both parties must be informed.
Only then can the decision be formally announced. Nonetheless, on one point he was crystal clear: this will be the last decision in relation to General Surachate’s status in the matter by the executive branch.
Either the top cop will be reinstated, he will accept his career is over or he will take his case to the Administrative Court.
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
Fate of top cops including Big Tor and Big Joke to become clearer after Wissanu’s 11 am statement
