BANGKOK, THAILAND – More than ten police officers came forward as witnesses in the case against former deputy police chief Surachate Hakparn, adding momentum to investigations into alleged physical abuse and psychological harassment.
Growing number of police witnesses
Several officers from within the police force had contacted the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to offer testimony on the allegations, investigators said. According to Pol Maj Gen Jruykiat Pankaeo, the CIB deputy chief, these were officers who had lived or worked at the residence of Pol Gen Surachate and were now prepared to describe in detail what they said they had experienced or observed there.
“All witnesses will be questioned,”
said Jruykiat, adding that some claimed to have seen the alleged incidents directly, while others relied on accounts from those said to be directly involved.
Staff from residence at centre of testimony
The CIB stated that all of the witnesses had been closely involved in the former deputy police chief’s daily life. Officers had worked as drivers, guards and maintenance staff for the property, giving them direct insight into procedures and interactions within the residence.
At the core of these new statements were accusations of physical assaults and psychological pressure on subordinate officers, which investigators were now examining for consistency and potential criminal relevance.
Case triggered by complaints from subordinates
The proceedings were initiated by two former subordinates of Surachate Hakparn. Pol Lt Col Krit Priyaket and Pol Col Aris Kuprasitrat had filed criminal complaints earlier in the week, accusing their former superior of coercion, intimidation and physical attacks.
The investigation was being led by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), a specialist police unit responsible for particularly serious and complex offences.
Long-running dispute over end of career
The affair concerned one of the country’s best-known police officers, long seen as a contender for the top police post. Pol Gen Surachate had been removed from duty in 2024 over alleged links to online gambling activities.
A police disciplinary commission had recommended in March 2025 that he be dismissed without pension rights, and the Supreme Administrative Court rejected his lawsuit against the 2024 dismissal order on 9 January this year.
Parallel bribery investigation involving gold bars
Alongside the current allegations of violence, another case against Surachate was already under way. He was suspected of having organised bribery in a separate matter, allegedly ordering the delivery of gold bars worth 16 million baht to a member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The gold bars were said to have gone to an NACC member involved in examining earlier accusations against him. The former deputy police chief had rejected all allegations and claimed there was a plot by rival officers who wanted to block his path to the top of the force.
Next steps for investigators
The CIB planned to systematically question all witnesses and compare their accounts with existing complaints. Investigators were focusing on potentially criminal physical assaults, accusations of psychological intimidation of subordinates and links to ongoing cases and disciplinary measures.
Whether further criminal charges would be filed now depended on how these new witness statements were assessed.