In a twist of script, the number two of the Thai police in charge of the case, Daniel Sancho, went from investigator to investigator this Monday morning. The home of the super cop known as Big Joke and five adjacent houses owned by him have been searched by armed to the teeth cybercrime agents. The investigations into alleged corruption would have to do with bribes delivered by online betting houses, in a country where gambling has been banned for almost a century.
Surachate Hakparn, alias Big Joke, landed last August on the island of Phangan to take charge of the investigation into the dismemberment of Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta, as he likes to do in several media cases. Big Joke has offered press conferences and even interviews on Spanish television, in which he has considered the guilt of the confessed murderer, Daniel Sancho, to be proven, and in which he has warned him that retracting his claim would only worsen his situation.
This morning’s raid on the Surachate residence in Bangkok would seek evidence of the alleged bribery of around 140 million baht (3.65 million euros) by an online betting house, according to public television. The searches would have extended to a minimum of six precincts in as many provinces, with the result of eleven arrests – two of them police officers close to Big Joke – and the seizure of documents.
At the moment there is no arrest warrant against Surachate, but there is against 30 of his subordinates involved in the case of alleged bribery by a group led by Phongsiri “Bostal” Tharawongsuk, former president of the Thai football club Lamphun Warriors, who would have used to launder money.
The media agent, number two on the force, remains free, for now. He began by saying that he is not worried, because he does not aspire to be number one, implying that this is a warning from above and that he has received the message. It so happens that the prime minister must choose the new police chief this Wednesday, since the current one retires on October 1. Surachate-Big Joke has also said that if his subordinates have done something wrong, he will not tiptoe around, but that he has full trust in them.
The Technological Crimes Investigation Agency (SIT) presented itself this Monday morning with search warrants in nerve centers of the human teams closest to Surachet.
The aforementioned Surachet Hakarn, alias Big Joke, tried to prevent the agents from entering his house, alleging his status as number two in the royal police, with the rank of general. He then made statements according to which he did not know the reason for the search. The agents, for their part, have stated that they were also unaware that it was his home. The situation was resolved when the chief of police himself – ultimately general of the Armed Forces – appeared to inform Big Joke about the reasons for the intervention.
Everything indicates that this is presumably inspired by the military leadership. In the past decade, Big Joke had a run-in with this, following allegations he acquired biometric identification equipment. The super cop was dismissed and his vehicle was mysteriously shot at, before being unexpectedly reinstated by General Prayut.
“The cyber police are doing their job and we are cooperating,” Big Joke said. “That they look for evidence even at home of the police force’s number demonstrates our transparency. They are not going to find anything.”
“Big Joke” Hakparn, known for his media profile and one of the candidates for number one in the Police, has been the visible face of the force during the investigation of Daniel Sancho for the murder of Arrieta last August on the island of Phangan.
The Spaniard, son of actor Rodolfo Sancho and grandson of Sancho Gracia, was arrested on August 5, when he confessed to the murder and dismemberment of the Colombian at the police station on the tourist island of Phangan, and was later transferred to neighboring Samui, where he was is in provisional prison.
Thai police still have more than a month to complete their investigation into the crime. After which, you must submit a report to the Prosecutor’s Office of the Samui Island Court, which will set the trial date.
Daniel Sancho appeared last Friday without a lawyer for the first time before a Thai judge in the district of Samui in a telematic hearing to extend his provisional detention. If Big Joke’s reputation were tarnished by corruption, Sancho’s lawyers could take the opportunity to cast doubt on their police investigation of the case, which until now seemed conclusive.
The very popular super agent, in any case, has already lost part of his poise, as shown in the video – below – of the interview he gave, still upset by the raid. The sarcasm is that part of Big Joke’s prestige came from his attacks on casinos, which ended up with dozens of Chinese arrested. All casinos have been illegal in Thailand for almost a century, although the situation could change soon. Of course, the casinos that were the objects of his ire were in person, rather than virtual, as could not be otherwise for someone who loves cameras.
