National—
At 5:30 PM, on April 2nd, 2024, Thai national media reported that Pol. Gen. Surachet Hakphan surrendered to Thai metropolitan investigative police as an arrest warrant was issued for being an official conspiring to launder money offenses.
Previously, the Thai court issued arrest warrants to three police officers and one civilian regarding the so-called ‘Minnie” and “BNK Master” gambling network. In the case of Pol. Gen. Surachet, the Thai court issued a summons first. However, the investigative police from the Metropolitan Police Bureau requested a total of 3 summonses before requesting an arrest warrant for Pol. Gen. Surachet.
The court approved of the arrest warrant on conspiring to launder money and being an official conspiring to launder money according to Anti-Money Laundering Act 1999, Sections 5, 9, and 10.
At 8:00 PM, on the same day, Pol. Gen. Surachet gave a short interview after his surrender and being granted bail saying that everything was in the justice process and he was not concerned about being suspended from his government service.
According to the Thai justice system, he was currently in the process of being accused and was therefore still considered innocent. He would continue to serve his service normally, remarked Pol. Gen. Surachet. He continued to profess his innocence, stating that the charges and accusations were political and personal in nature and not true.
On April 3rd, the Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin held a discussion in the afternoon with Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, the acting commissioner general of the Royal Thai Police, and a legal team to determine whether Pol. Gen. Surachet should be suspended from his service or not.
For now, it was decided that he will not be suspended as he is innocent until proven guilty, although he was moved into a largely inactive role at the PM’s office previously while the charges are processed and reviewed.
Read related stories about Pol. Gen. Surachet Hakparn:
Thailand’s Top Cops Transferred to PMs Office Temporarily During Gambling Investigation.
