Deputy police chief Surachate Hakparn says he is preparing to sue Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the 11 other members of the Police Commission for confirming his dismissal.
Pol Gen Surachate, aka “Big Joke”, said on Thursday that the commission chaired by the prime minister did not consider his case fairly.
He was referring to the commission’s unanimous decision on Wednesday to support the dismissal order against him in April.
Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet, in his capacity as acting police chief, signed the dismissal order pending the outcome of investigations into the alleged involvement of Pol Gen Surachate in money-laundering in relation to the BNK Master gambling network.
Pol Gen Surachate said on Thursday that he doubted the legality of the order and asked why Prime Minister Srettha had not proposed it to His Majesty the King for approval.
The Police Merit Systems Protection Board is still reviewing Pol Gen Surachate’s complaint against the dismissal. If the board does not rule in his favour, he said, he would file a complaint with the Administrative Court.
Pol Gen Surachate continues to maintain that he was being persecuted because he is the front-runner to succeed national police chief Torsak Sukvimol, who will retire on Sept 30. The allegations of criminal activity are part of the campaign against him, he says.
A long-simmering conflict between factions loyal to Pol Gen Surachate and Pol Gen Torsak intensified last year after the latter was chosen as chief despite having less seniority than any other candidate.
The feud became such a distraction for the force that Mr Srettha in March moved both police generals to inactive posts pending the outcome of an investigation.
The investigation report last week concluded that there had been factional conflict on the force for a long time, but that investigations into alleged wrongdoing were for other bodies to decide. It recommended the reinstatement of Pol Gen Torsak and also said Pol Gen Surachate had been “unfairly dismissed from duty pending investigation”.
Prime Minister Srettha said on Thursday that the Police Commission had made its decision in accordance with the law, adding that he expected the Police Merit Systems Protection Board to rule on Pol Gen Surachate’s case in 30 days.
For that reason, he said, he had decided not to forward the dismissal order for royal approval.
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