Top Thai police officer’s home raided over ‘Betflix’ gambling ring
- Deputy National Police Chief Surachate Hakparn says he is ‘not worried’ about the investigation and has denied any involvement in ‘Betflix’
- PM Srettha Thavisin has called for an independent panel to look into the case, saying it has affected public confidence towards the police
Thai police have swooped on the home of one of the kingdom’s most high-profile officers as part of a series of raids targeting an illegal online gambling network dubbed “Betflix”.
A sprawling investigation across six provinces saw SWAT teams raid some 30 locations on Monday – including Deputy National Police Chief Surachate Hakparn’s central Bangkok house.
Surachate, well-known in Thailand for his regular appearances in the media giving updates on investigations, denied any involvement in the alleged gambling ring.
“I’m not worried at all, because I’m not involved in this and I can answer any question,” he told reporters outside his home while the raid was under way.
Police Major General Trairong Phiwpan said the raids stemmed from a probe into a gambling website called “Betflix” and 12 subsidiary sites.
Later on Monday, he told local media that of 23 suspects, 17 had been arrested, including eight police officers.
Officers conducting the raid on Surachate’s house said they were unaware whose residence it was.