Deputy national police chief, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, went to the Taopoon police station on Tuesday afternoon to admit to the money laundering charges against him. He was given bail after around four hours of questioning.
Pol Gen Surachate informed reporters as he left the police station around 8pm that he has denied all the charges and is determined to contest the case in court.
He maintained that he is still considered innocent until proven guilty by the court.
The troubled senior police officer chose to surrender after the Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him, as he had disregarded three summonses from the Taopoon police.
Gen Surachate expressed that he is not concerned that the charges against him may affect his candidacy for national police chief, when Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol steps down at the end of September.
In response to a reporter’s question about speculation that he may be temporarily removed from his position by the prime minister due to the serious charges against him, Surachate stated that he is not the only one facing criminal charges at present, as Pol Gen Torsak is also facing criminal charges.
Both Surachate and Torsak have been reassigned to the Prime Minister’s Office, pending the outcomes of criminal cases against them, supposedly related to an online gambling platform.
