Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the, well the contested if you will sacking of "Big Joke" that is Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn. He is the former Deputy National Police Chief, also former Head of Thai Immigration, that's where he came upon my radar some years ago and it has been rather interesting to watch his colourful career ever since that time. That said, let me jump in here. 

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Thai Examiner, that's thaiexaminer.com, the article is titled: Big Joke faces another hurdle on Tuesday in his quest to be reinstated after his April 18 contested sacking. Quoting directly: "Big Joke faces another hurdle on Tuesday as a Police Ethics Committee reviews his contested April 18th sacking. The ruling will determine if he is reinstated or if he must take his case to the Administrative Court. In June, a Prime Ministerial Panel report pointed to rampant corruption and division within the Police Force. Furthermore, it confirmed factionalism centred on senior officers." Quoting further: "The ongoing efforts by dismissed Deputy Police Chief General Surachate Hakparn or "Big Joke" to be reinstated, faced another hurdle on Tuesday. It came after the Police Commission upheld his removal from the Force in June. On Tuesday it was reported that a Police Ethics Committee will hold a hearing on the matter. At length, it is expected to rule on the issue one way or the other after listening to oral representations. Afterwards, General Surachate will either be reinstated or forced to take his case to the Administrative Court." So this is currently in play as of the time both of the filming and the posting of this video. There may be further news on this as it evolves; we will be keeping people up to date. 

That said, why are we following this? One, I just started kind of doing it. It kind of piqued my curiosity and I have continued to sort of follow it but it is actually kind of useful to provide some insight into the inner workings if you will of how sort of the Administrative Legal Apparatus works for example within the Police Force. One thing that has kind of always, I have found sort of nettlesome on a personal level when talking to foreigners over here, is this constant belief that everything within the Thai Police Force is somehow corrupt. That's just one of those kind of nonsensical things I constantly hear from foreigners oftentimes who either haven't been here very long or sometimes they have an axe to grind; they have their own personal history with things, or they just don't know any better. The long story short is no, that's not how it works. It's not always sort of arbitrary and capricious, or it's not always corrupt. 

Meanwhile there are people that say well it's entirely arbitrary and capricious. No there are protocols. It's just most foreigners don't understand how the protocols work. Quite honestly it is kind of a Byzantine process but what bureaucracy doesn't have Byzantine sort of protocols associated with the hirings and firings of their staff, the dismissal of their folks etc., or the maintenance of their own policies and certain penalties associated with not adhering to those policies. That is sort of what bureaucracy is best at is creating sort of those Byzantine pathways for dealing with or trying to get whatever you want done through their system. That's sort of the reason for my following this case. That said, again we will certainly be keeping people updated on this situation as it evolves.