Gambling and Covid: Foreigners arrested in big show of force in Pattaya this morning

 

Image: We Love Pattaya

 

Every policeman worth his salt in Chonburi and Pattaya was in attendance this morning in a very well publicized raid of a gambling den in two rented rooms of a Jomtien condo. 

 

All the top brass were there flexing their muscles in a show of force against foreigners, illegal gambling and most of all, flagrant disregard for the Covid-19 regulations. 

 

The raid at 1 am in Sai 2 was led by Region 2 chief Maj-Gen Thiti Saengsawang accompanied by the head of the Chonburi provincial police Pol Col Ekkaphop Inthaweewat. 

 

There were also men from all three local Pattaya constabularies - the Pattaya force itself, Nong Prue and Bang Lamung. 

International crime officers swelled the ranks of the raiding party.

 

Arrested were 21 gamblers - 14 Chinese, 5 Thais, I Cambodian and one Singaporean. Taken into evidence were gambling tables, cards and chips. 

 

Ekkaphop said this was a state and national RTP measure against the spread of the virus. He said that the gamblers - most of them foreigners - had a flagrant disregard for the spread of the virus.

 

They were playing poker style games.

 

Two rooms on the fifth floor of the building - 517 and 518 - had been rented on a daily basis. 

 

The inquiry would be expanded. 

 

We Love Pattaya reported that five of the Chinese were on overstay and the Cambodian had entered Thailand illegally.

 

They will all be facing charges related to both gambling and contravention of the Covid emergency decree.

 

Source: We Love Pattaya

 

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Gambling really is a disease for Chinese it seems. They just can't get enough of it.

 

I had a hot Chinese girlfriend back in England but if we went into London for a night on the town she just could not pass an amusement arcade and spend 30 - 40 minutes in there on the penny arcade. To drag her away from a pile of pennies perched on the edge was a herculean task. She had pumped so many pennies into it that she seriously thought it owed her.  ' I am just about to win ' was her constant excuse.

 

 

 

 

I'm sure the PM is rubbing his hands in glee by now seeing the fruits of his labor trying to eradicate gambling,

the Thais will be let go after paying a 'big fine' and the rest, i don't envy them right now...

I thought there were no gambling dens in Thailand? ????

15 hours ago, Liverpoolfan said:

I thought there were no gambling dens in Thailand? ????

 

You wanna bet ! Come on , give me odds !

4 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

 

You wanna bet ! Come on , give me odds !

I want some of that action

Im glad to see no Farang there, that would have been headline news

Nobody was tipping them off that the big guns are coming?

Probably didn't pay any "envelope fee".

 

We Love Pattaya reported that five of the Chinese were on overstay

 

Thats the least of their worries

12 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

 

You wanna bet ! Come on , give me odds !

I'm just repeating what Senor Watches said the other day... ???? 

4 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Im glad to see no Farang there, that would have been headline news

White cap guy must be from where?

Poker rooms have always been a problem in Thailand. Had a friend from the US who was a professional poker player.  He would play in Pattaya, Phuket, and Bangkok then go to Singapore, and The Philippines.  Many Thai friends he had were also heavy gamblers as well.

3 minutes ago, Olmate said:

White cap guy must be from where?

Maybe the Singaporean

This just shows that the plonkers supposedly running this place have absolutely no idea.

One of them reckons there are no gambling dens here, main honcho says hey are going to stamp it out, just more BS, at least all the BIG plod bosses got there 15 minutes in the spotlight.

22 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I'm sure the PM is rubbing his hands in glee by now seeing the fruits of his labor trying to eradicate gambling,

the Thais will be let go after paying a 'big fine' and the rest, i don't envy them right now...

I've been arrested for playing poker and was let off with a slap on the wrists. What makes you think the Thais will be let off? I've a Thai friend who was fined 2 million baht for running a football betting thing. 

 

This has nothing to do with targeting foreigners.

 

I know 2 poker clubs in Bangkok that are always full of foreigners and very senior police know about it.

 

Another of the 'scared of my own shadow brigade'. 

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Poker rooms have always been a problem in Thailand. Had a friend from the US who was a professional poker player.  He would play in Pattaya, Phuket, and Bangkok then go to Singapore, and The Philippines.  Many Thai friends he had were also heavy gamblers as well.

Why is it a problem?

I have a friend who takes very well-known Thais to poker tournaments in Las Vegas, Monaco etc. They have a lot of fun. 

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Why is it a problem?

Because it is illegal in Thailand,for now anyways.

4 minutes ago, colinneil said:

This just shows that the plonkers supposedly running this place have absolutely no idea.

One of them reckons there are no gambling dens here, main honcho says hey are going to stamp it out, just more BS, at least all the BIG plod bosses got there 15 minutes in the spotlight.

Honcho????

2 minutes ago, jvs said:

Because it is illegal in Thailand,for now anyways.

So is prostitution, is that a problem in your opinion?

34 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

Gambling really is a disease for Chinese it seems. They just can't get enough of it.

 

I had a hot Chinese girlfriend back in England but if we went into London for a night on the town she just could not pass an amusement arcade and spend 30 - 40 minutes in there on the penny arcade. To drag her away from a pile of pennies perched on the edge was a herculean task. She had pumped so many pennies into it that she seriously thought it owed her.  ' I am just about to win ' was her constant excuse.

 

 

 

 

sounds like you should have locked her in your bedroom when you went out on the town.

 

21 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Im glad to see no Farang there, that would have been headline news

where can I get a T shirt that says ''I'm NOT a Foreigner, I'm a Farang'.

18 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Poker rooms have always been a problem in Thailand. Had a friend from the US who was a professional poker player.  He would play in Pattaya, Phuket, and Bangkok then go to Singapore, and The Philippines.  Many Thai friends he had were also heavy gamblers as well.

We used to get a few professional gamblers renting villas around Rawai some years ago, could do with a few more at the moment they paid good money

2 minutes ago, paddypower said:

where can I get a T shirt that says ''I'm NOT a Foreigner, I'm a Farang'.

MBK

13 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I've been arrested for playing poker and was let off with a slap on the wrists. What makes you think the Thais will be let off? I've a Thai friend who was fined 2 million baht for running a football betting thing. 

 

This has nothing to do with targeting foreigners.

 

I know 2 poker clubs in Bangkok that are always full of foreigners and very senior police know about it.

 

Another of the 'scared of my own shadow brigade'. 

I have been caught also playing pai.

 

Similar to this situation, not in a “gambling den” but just a social gathering in a rented room. No big deal.

 

Police took all the cash on the table, took 500 baht off most of the players but myself and my girlfriend didn’t have to pay as she was an illegal lottery seller, knew one of the policeman who showed up and since she was already paying 3,000 per month to him to run the lottery, he let us go free of charge.
 

It was a very friendly raid, smiles all round and joking. 
No big deal. They told us we should have kept the door closed.

 

As you said NOTHING to do with targeting foreigners. Some people are delusional with self importance.

 

A defamatory post has been removed.

51 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

Gambling really is a disease for Chinese it seems. They just can't get enough of it.

 

I had a hot Chinese girlfriend back in England but if we went into London for a night on the town she just could not pass an amusement arcade and spend 30 - 40 minutes in there on the penny arcade. To drag her away from a pile of pennies perched on the edge was a herculean task. She had pumped so many pennies into it that she seriously thought it owed her.  ' I am just about to win ' was her constant excuse.

My mate had a hot Chinese girlfriend back in England too, but she went off the boil.

Anyone stupid enough to go to gambling "den" right now deserves what they get.

 

I am waiting for them to start arresting Bridge Club player, like they did a few years ago.

I wonder if it was a poor looser that snitched to the BiB .

3 minutes ago, KhunKenAP said:

Anyone stupid enough to go to gambling "den" right now deserves what they get.

 

I am waiting for them to start arresting Bridge Club player, like they did a few years ago.

And if you are playing Snap with a mate after dark it may be wise to not say SNAP too loud.

23 minutes ago, colinneil said:

This just shows that the plonkers supposedly running this place have absolutely no idea.

One of them reckons there are no gambling dens here, main honcho says hey are going to stamp it out, just more BS, at least all the BIG plod bosses got there 15 minutes in the spotlight.

Pretty sure they have a good idea Col. 

 

Everybody knows about it.
 

But you have to deny it. I would be amazed if they haven’t played themselves.

 

One of those things people do, but deny in certain situations, like visiting your Mia noi, smoking weed, what happens on a boys night out in Pattaya stays in Pattaya, when your good married mate picks up a sly one on a night out etc etc. 
 

It is the “code” to keep it quiet. 
Nobody likes a snitch.