National —
At 9:50 AM, on June 25th, Mr. Wissanu Krea-ngam, the Advisor to the Thai Prime Minister, addressed the media regarding Pol. Gen. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn’s intention to sue the Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for alleged misconduct under Section 157 if he is not fully reinstated to the Thai Police.
Wissanu stated that while Pol. Gen. Surachate has the right to file a personal lawsuit, he believes it is unnecessary as there are many other avenues for redress. He suggested that the appropriate course of action would be to appeal to the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC), as outlined by law. Currently, the entire matter is with the OCSC, which is expected to take about a month to reach a decision.
The Thai OCSC is similar to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) in the United States, noted TPN.
Wissanu confirmed the validity of Pol. Gen. Surachate’s reference to a 1939 Cabinet resolution requiring adherence to the Council of State’s opinions but emphasized that these opinions are advisory rather than definitive.
He also noted that according to the law, anyone with the rank of Police General and serving as a Deputy Commissioner-General or Inspector General of the Police has the potential to become the Commissioner-General, depending on the Police Commission’s resolution and the Prime Minister’s nomination.
Wissanu clarified that Pol. Gen. Surachate’s legal actions are personal and do not implicate the government, organizations, or the Royal Thai Police. He reiterated that the OCSC is designed to resolve such disputes, and if its decision is unsatisfactory, one can appeal to the Administrative Court.
In conclusion, Wissanu emphasized that while legal proceedings are ongoing, administrative work must continue. He mentioned that Pol. Gen. Surachet remains eligible for promotion to Commissioner-General if cleared by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
While Pol. Gen. Surachate could still be a candidate for Commissioner-General, legal complexities could change this outcome, remarked Wissanu.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
