GUNS, BUDDHA AND THE MULTIMILLIONAIRE THAI COP WITH A LUCKY CHARM COLLECTION
What kind of person needs 32 guns AND 77 Buddha figurines?
And, more importantly, how many police officers are there on earth who are worth millions and millions of US dollars?
In any functioning country, with a genuinely serious system of accountability, someone like Jirabhop "Big Kong" Bhuridej wouldn't be given any kind of power.
Most likely he'd be in prison, in court or under investigation.
First of all he didn't get his very senior position in the Thai police due to hard work and talent but via the notorious "Elephant Ticket" system.
Secondly he hangs out having fine dining lunches with wanted cyberscam criminals.
And thirdly he has extraordinary levels of wealth for someone who is supposedly as "squeaky clean" as he pretends to be.
In early 2025 Kong was forced to divulge his family's wealth to the Thai National Anti Corruption Committee (NACC)
The list of what his family owns - and remembers this is just what he's declared - is extraordinary for a police officer. The following was published on the Isranews website
"Police Lieutenant General Chirapop declared assets totaling 67,152,649 baht, comprising: 300,000 baht in cash; 15 bank accounts totaling 11,519,948 baht; investments in 3 companies totaling 1,694,500 baht; 12 plots of land in Rayong, Chonburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Bangkok valued at 24,704,935 baht; 6 buildings and structures in Phuket, Bangkok, and Rayong valued at 21,177,224 baht; 2 cars and 1 motorboat valued at 3,570,000 baht; rights and concessions valued at 750,332 baht; and other assets including 32 firearms, 142 amulets and commemorative coins, 77 Buddha images, and 1 watch, with a total value of 3,435,710 baht.
Ms. Rongrong declared assets totaling 120,275,238 baht, comprising: 300,000 baht in cash; 32 bank accounts totaling 13,558,092 baht; investments totaling 62,957,428 baht; 8 plots of land in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Phuket valued at 22,005,750 baht; 5 buildings and structures in Phuket, Bangkok, and Nonthaburi valued at 15,615,616 baht; one car valued at 2,000,000 baht; rights and concessions valued at 855,030 baht; and other assets including 26 pieces of gold ornaments and gold bars, 23 pieces of jewelry, and 3 watches, totaling 2,983,320 baht."
The combined total is just over 187Million Thai Baht. This equals US$5.7million but when you take into account purchasing parity per US$ compared to the US, equivalent worth would be roughly $17million. All this from a 1.355million Thai Baht/US$41.5k annual police salary. The boat and cars Kong owns are worth three years of his police salary on their own.
Two words come to mind.
It stinks.
And remember - this is just what he's declared. It wouldn't come as a great surprise to anyone to find out he's got significant wealth stashed away that he conveniently forgot. Also, the fact that the largest part of the wealth is in investments in Kong's wife's name. It has long been a dodge for corrupt Thai officials to move investment's into their spouse's name.
Our favorite parts of the declaration are the 32 firearms and the 77 Buddha images closely followed by the 142 amulets (good luck charms). We wonder if Big Kong has armed any of his Buddha figurines in between counting his money stashed in any one of his and his wife's 47 different bank accounts? How much luck does Big Kong actually think he needs?
Now, let's look at Kong's family's declared earnings.
Isranews published the following -
Police Lieutenant General Jirapop reported an estimated annual income of 8,311,188 baht, comprising: salary of 1,355,220 baht, board member compensation of 899,520 baht, meeting allowances of 1,558,750 baht, bonus of 2,666,120 baht, rental income for apartments, houses, and commercial buildings of 360,000 baht, land rental income of 31,578 baht, and insurance policy maturity benefits of 1,440,000 baht. He reported estimated annual expenses of 3,367,800 baht.
Ms. Rongrong reported an estimated annual income of 2,737,618 baht, comprising: salary 300,000 baht, director's compensation 315,780 baht, consulting fees 300,000 baht, bonus 135,000 baht, building and structure rental 205,260 baht, apartment, house, and townhouse rental 558,000 baht, land rental 31,578 baht, apartment rental 210,000 baht, car rental 432,000 baht, and dividends 250,000 baht. She reported estimated annual expenses of 2,036,300 baht.
From this we can glean that only 16% of Kong's annual income comes from his police work and 61% comes from his directorships at the PTT gas and oil company and Airports of Thailand (AOT). Kong is primarily a recipient of "tea money" from companies with far less than a clean record when it comes to corruption who benefit from having someone on the board who can tell them when the next raid is likely to happen.
Kong's spouse's declaration is of more interest. Given that after her expenses have been deducted her declared income would only be 701,318THB/US$21,449 how on earth has she built up assets of 120,275,238THB/US$3,678,830?
Furthermore Kong's expenses of 3,367,800THB/US$103,000 on their own are 250% greater than his entire police salary.
Who or what is funding Kong's extravagant lifestyle and wealth?
How many board meetings has he actually attended at AOT and PTT?
And in between all this Kong still finds time to be the Thai Queen's bodyguard.
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