The drive-by shooting of the car of former immigration police chief Surachate Hakparn has sparked debate with speculation over the motive dividing opinion.
One suggestion is that it was the result of a long-standing conflict between Pol Lt Gen Surachate and national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda over alleged irregularities in procuring a biometric identification system.
The other camp suspects that this intimidation of Pol Lt Gen Surachate, nicknamed "Big Joke", was staged.
Bangkok Post reporter Wassayos Ngamkham asked "Big Joke", who is currently working as an adviser at the Prime Minister's Office, to clarify the incident.
Police and people suspect you are behind the shooting. Is that true?
There's no reason to stage it. Whether I'll be transferred back to the police agency depends on the prime minister. It has nothing to do with their claim that I want to have the incumbent police chief replaced by his deputy so that I can make a return.
Today I'm forced into a corner. They bullied me and shot my car. As a former police officer, I know for sure who ordered it. If he had not been an influential figure, he would have not done it.
I've seen my image marred a lot because "people in power" have often thrown controversial issues at me. Joke caused troubles in the biometric system. Joke was involved in the electric BMW car plan. This is not to mention the boat and building construction projects of the IB [Immigration Bureau] which are also linked with Joke.
I've done nothing and was never involved in these evil issues. We have to check who spent IB budgets on the procurements. Should we buy those boats though there's no mission for them? How will IB officers pilot the boats? Will the purchase be done in favour of certain companies?
Why are you confident the shooting involves the biometrics controversy?
How come they bought biometrics at more than 2 billion baht? If I had overseen the project, it would have cost the IB less than 500 million baht. Do you see the huge price gap?
The IB spent over 300 million baht apiece though they are actually 36 million baht each. The prices are different though the system is of the same brand and even same model. That's very bad. As former IB chief, I wrote a memo to scrap the procurement.
My senior officer at the Royal Thai Police [RTP] asked me to settle this issue, but I rejected his request. I just want it to proceed according to the law.
Later I learned someone checked my car registration number and followed me. I was warned against driving to a traditional Thai massage venue. They wanted to shoot the car. It's 100% intimidation.
How do you respond to some police claims you wanted to have your associates sell biometrics to the IB?
That's not true. I also don't know how to do it. The person who spent IB money buying the system is in the RTP. If I had let my friends do it, I should have been able to sign the procurement.
Other former and incumbent IB chiefs should also feel uncomfortable about this issue, but it's only me who dares speak out. I can't let it go; otherwise, I'll be probed by the NACC [National Anti-Corruption Commission].
Are you at odds with Pol Gen Chakthip? (The national police chief who decided to push ahead with the procurement.)
So far there's been only the conflict over biometrics, but I've never mentioned Phi Pae [nickname of Pol Gen Chakthip]. I only said it's a conflict with a "powerful figure".
If Deputy Prime Minister Prawit arranges a talk between you and Pol Gen Chakthip, will you join it? (Pol Lt Gen Surachate is said to have been a close associate of Gen Prawit while he was in charge of police affairs.)
I'll be glad to join the talk. However, I insist everything must be done under the rule of law. I don't want to commit any wrongdoing.
The truth of the biometrics issue will be unveiled to the public sooner or later.
Thailand is protected by the guardian deity Phra Siam Devadhiraj. Corrupt people will eventually bear the results of what they did.