Chaeng Wattana gamblers: Migrants detained - Thais let go

[webfact]

Chaeng Wattana gamblers: Migrants detained - Thais let go

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

The Don Muang court convened at the Government Complex yesterday handed down its judgment in the case of 94 gamblers caught during a raid at a casino in Chang wattana Soi 14 earlier in the week. 

 

The participants - some appearing via video conference from the Thung Song Hong police station -  were charged with offences ranging from illegal entry to contravening the emergency decree to illegal congregation to gambling. 

 

Thirteen of the gamblers were migrants - six from Myanmar, six from Cambodia and one from Laos. They had all entered illegally via Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo, or Chong Mek sub-district of Ubon Ratchathani.

 

The migrants were jailed for seven and a half months each though this was changed from prison to detention in custody.

 

All the Thais were given 30 day sentences that were suspended. 

 

Fines of 12,000 and 15,000 baht were handed out to some of the participants. 

 

Remission was given on admission for some offences but not gambling. 

 

Source: Naew Na

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-12-31

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[robblok]

Though the headline is right its a bit misleading.

 

It suggest that Thais and migrants were caught for gambling and only the migrants were detained. This is not true if you read the article it says that nobody was detained for the gambling but that the migrants were all illegal in Thailand.

So its only logical that they are detained.  The headline almost makes it out that there were two standards applied.

[FritsSikkink]

Bad headline, when you get a fine and suspended sentence, you haven't been let go.

[Dumbastheycome]

So cause for sentence for the migrants was for multiple offences as illegals. The Thais were given suspended  sentences, not "let go".

Very loaded  Headline !

[prakhonchai nick]

If there was not a gambling den, neither Thais nor illegal migrants would have been present, and Thailand would not be facing the extent of the  problems it has today. As such ALL should be punished. Gambling is illegal, and all participants should have received lengthy prison sentences.  But no, no charges for gambling. What message does this send to the Thais elsewhere inThailand. Carry on gambling folk!

Useless law enforcement -useless judiciary - useless government

[asiasurfer]

Agree. The headline is misleading. 

[ThailandRyan]

Were they tested for the virus or not, that's the bigger question 

[ukrules]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

So its only logical that they are detained.  The headline almost makes it out that there were two standards applied.

 

An interesting way of looking at the situation, why were the Thais all given suspended prison sentences, they didn't breach immigration regulations?

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

All the Thais were given 30 day sentences that were suspended.

 

 

[robblok]

9 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

An interesting way of looking at the situation, why were the Thais all given suspended prison sentences, they didn't breach immigration regulations?

 

 

 

The reason for the arrest of the migrants was not gambling but the fact that they were illigal in the country.

 

Remission was given on admission for some offences but not gambling.  (from the article) this mean nobody was arrested for gambling.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The migrants were jailed for seven and a half months each though this was changed from prison to detention in custody.

 

All the Thais were given 30 day sentences that were suspended

Well there you go.

[flbkk]

Illegal migrants need permanent ban, Thais should  serve prison time 

[Scouse123]

9 hours ago, flbkk said:

Illegal migrants need permanent ban, Thais should  serve prison time 

 

 

Yeah,

 

Let's bring back the ' Stocks '  and the ' Ducking stool ' that will show them, eh?

[rosst]

18 hours ago, robblok said:

Though the headline is right its a bit misleading.

 

It suggest that Thais and migrants were caught for gambling and only the migrants were detained. This is not true if you read the article it says that nobody was detained for the gambling but that the migrants were all illegal in Thailand.

So its only logical that they are detained.  The headline almost makes it out that there were two standards applied.

There were at least two standards applied, the police who had been aware of it for years were not charged 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Were they tested for the virus or not, that's the bigger question 

Who's employing the illegal migrants is another.

[internationalism]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

Thirteen of the gamblers were migrants - six from Myanmar, six from Cambodia and one from Laos. They had all entered illegally via Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo, or Chong Mek sub-district of Ubon Ratchathani.

Those are precise points of entry and looks like they have entered through immigration office, on fake entry stamp, without computer registration and without guarantine.

I do think they were workers in casino, and not gamblers - illegal workers earn some half wage of thai, they don't go to casinos to spend their food money.

 

Now, this den was run by police, hence no gambling charges and no follow up on on fake stamps/visas. Immigration in thailand is part of police force, unlike in some other countries, where it's an independent department

[brianthainess]

20 hours ago, robblok said:

Though the headline is right its a bit misleading.

 

It suggest that Thais and migrants were caught for gambling and only the migrants were detained. This is not true if you read the article it says that nobody was detained for the gambling but that the migrants were all illegal in Thailand.

So its only logical that they are detained.  The headline almost makes it out that there were two standards applied.

 

20 hours ago, webfact said:

were charged with offences ranging from illegal entry to contravening the emergency decree to illegal congregation to gambling.

 

[Prairieboy]

On 12/31/2020 at 12:20 PM, webfact said:

charged with offences ranging from illegal entry to contravening the emergency decree to illegal congregation to gambling. 

 

On 12/31/2020 at 12:32 PM, robblok said:

Though the headline is right its a bit misleading.

 

It suggest that Thais and migrants were caught for gambling and only the migrants were detained. This is not true if you read the article it says that nobody was detained for the gambling but that the migrants were all illegal in Thailand.

So its only logical that they are detained.  The headline almost makes it out that there were two standards applied.

Reread the OP

[Deserted]

Very disappointing. There's no mention of anyone being robbed or beaten up by the police either. Hopefully they beat up all the Thai gamblers, robbed them, gave the migrant workers their money and let them leave without charge. 

[LukKrueng]

On 12/31/2020 at 12:45 PM, prakhonchai nick said:

If there was not a gambling den, neither Thais nor illegal migrants would have been present, and Thailand would not be facing the extent of the  problems it has today. As such ALL should be punished. Gambling is illegal, and all participants should have received lengthy prison sentences.  But no, no charges for gambling. What message does this send to the Thais elsewhere inThailand. Carry on gambling folk!

Useless law enforcement -useless judiciary - useless government

 

On 12/31/2020 at 5:23 PM, robblok said:

The reason for the arrest of the migrants was not gambling but the fact that they were illigal in the country.

 

Remission was given on admission for some offences but not gambling.  (from the article) this mean nobody was arrested for gambling.

From the op:

were charged with offences ranging from illegal entry to contravening the emergency decree to illegal congregation to gambling ... Remission was given on admission for some offences but not gambling

 

So I think they were charges for gambling as well, and although remission was given for some offence, they were all still charged for gambling

[lopburi3]

Actually a Google translation of the actual headline from source that is cited:

Quote

The court ordered 94 gamblers to jail at Chaengwattana, with up to 7 months punishment
Wednesday, December 30, 2020, 6:22 p.m.