The number two of the Thailand Police, Surachate Hakparnknown as “Big Joke“and in charge of the investigation against the Spanish daniel sancho for the murder and dismemberment of the Colombian Edwin Arrietais known for his media profile and controversial interventions before the press.

In a chaotic appearance before the press this Tuesday on the island of Phangan (south), Surachate announced the end of the investigation against Sancho, whom he accused of premeditated murder by stabbing, which faces the Spaniard with the death penalty if convicted. guilty.

The involvement of the 54-year-old policeman demonstrates the high profile that Thailand has placed on this case. His peculiar nickname “Big Joke” (“Big Joke”) It is common in Thailand, where many are given nicknames at birth, sometimes with striking meanings.

The Thai officer, with a desire to appear in front of the cameras and the protagonist of a meteoric rise through the ranks of the Policeusually puts a face on events of greater significance or in which foreigners are involved.

His flashy press conferences

His campaign against foreigners who stayed in the country without a visa or committed crimes was often accompanied by eye-catching press conferences adorned with great detail.

As head of the Immigration Department, a prominent position in the tourist country, he had to deal in 2019 with the case of a young Saudi woman barricaded herself in Bangkok’s main airport with the purpose of requesting political asylum in a third country.

More recently, Big Joke has spearheaded the case of one of the biggest serial killers in the country, dubbed Am Cyanidesuspected of causing the death by poisoning of at least 13 people between the years 2020 and 2023.

And last July he led an investigation against a criminal gang following the murder and dismemberment of a German businessman in the coastal city of Pattaya.

He was mysteriously removed and became a monk in a monastery in India

Coming from a family with links with the PoliceSurachate enrolled young in the ranks, where he registered a meteoric rise: at the age of 24 he was sub-inspector, with 38 superintendent and with 45 he reached the rank of major general.

However, Big Joke has also left behind a shadow of controversy, his strange fall from grace in 2019 when he was removed from the Police without further explanation. Despite being transferred to an inactive position, the Thai managed to hang on to his high political connections so as not to be forgotten.

although after a mysterious shooting against his vehiclewhen the Thai was not inside and for which no one has been arrested, he took him to spend a short time ordained as a monk in a monastery in India.

In 2021, when his name had completely disappeared from the media, Surachate made a surprising resurgence by assuming a position of special adviser to the Police during a meeting led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, one of the military generals who led the 2014 coup.