BANGKOK, THAILAND — Four of Thailand’s most powerful police organisations on Monday delivered a formal letter to national police chief General Kittarath Punpetch, demanding an immediate investigation into accusations that senior officers are linked to criminal networks.
Four organisations unite behind police chief
At the Royal Thai Police Headquarters in Bangkok, association president General Winai Thongsong handed the document to General Kittarath. The letter was jointly signed by the Royal Thai Police Association, the Police Academy Association, the Association of Investigating Officers, and the Club of Retired Police Officers. It called for a “swift, independent, and transparent” inquiry to counter claims that the national force operates like the country’s “largest criminal gang.”
Each group expressed alarm that public remarks from two well-known figures—former deputy national police chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn and activist Atchariya Ruangrattanapong, head of the Help Crime Victims Club—had “twisted facts and damaged the image of the entire organisation.” General Winai stated that, without verification, such accusations had already “undermined public trust in more than 200,000 serving officers.”
The accusations fuelling the crisis
On 19 April 2024, both Surachate and Atchariya repeated in interviews their allegation that unnamed senior police figures benefit from illicit online gambling networks and fraud syndicates. These accusations followed Surachate’s removal from his deputy post earlier this year. Speaking at a press event in Nonthaburi province, Atchariya said he had evidence of “systemic cooperation between traffickers and officers.”
The police associations countered that the two men acted out of personal and political frustration. The letter to General Kittarath urged investigators to review all claims within 30 days and to execute both disciplinary and criminal proceedings if wrongdoing is proven. The signatories emphasised that “no offender, regardless of rank, shall be protected.”
‘Provide proof, not headlines,’ police groups tell Big Joke
In a briefing at the Bangkok headquarters, General Winai Thongsong directed a pointed message at Surachate. “IF HE AND MR. ATCHARIYA POSSESS REAL EVIDENCE, THEY MUST SUBMIT IT TO THE POLICE COMMISSION IMMEDIATELY,” he said. “PUBLIC ACCUSATIONS WITHOUT SUBMISSION OF PROOF DAMAGE EVERY HONEST OFFICER.” Winai added that Surachate’s conduct appeared “motivated by disappointment over his dismissal rather than a genuine fight against corruption.”
The associations warned that further public exchange of insults could “trigger disciplinary responses under Article 157 of the Police Code.” They advised General Kittarath to assign a special seven-member review panel from the inspectorate to verify digital and financial records cited in the media.
Battle for the reputation of Thailand’s police
The dispute exposes long‑standing tension over corruption allegations within one of Southeast Asia’s largest police forces. According to data from the Office of the National Police Commission, more than 450 internal misconduct complaints were registered between January 2023 and March 2024. Surachate’s comments, broadcast across Bangkok and Chiang Mai television stations, reignited public debate about accountability inside the Royal Thai Police (RTP).
While General Kittarath has not yet confirmed a timeline for the inquiry, he told reporters at Dusit District headquarters that he would “appoint investigators free from command influence.” The case continues to dominate national headlines, with analysts counting at least six separate petitions filed to parliament since early April. Whether this inquiry restores confidence—or deepens internal divisions—remains a crucial test for Thailand’s 2024 police leadership.