Hundreds Nabbed In Gambling Den Raid In Bangkok's Tao Poon Area

[webfact]

GAMBLING

Hundreds nabbed in gambling den raid in Tao Poon

Jessada Chantararak

Kesinee Taengkiew

The Nation

Police dismiss claim of tear gas use during operation

Deputy national police chief Pol General Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya led a team of 100 officers yesterday on an early-morning raid into a major gambling den in Bangkok's Tao Poon area and arrested 199 patrons and a worker.

Several people present managed to flee because police found it difficult to navigate the den's complicated exit system. Meanwhile, some of the suspects have alleged that police fired tear gas at them - a claim that has been dismissed.

Panupong declined to provide details on the raid, saying that the same strategy would be used to crack down on other dens as per Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's policy. Panupong also said he would launch an inquiry to see whether any officers from the Tao Poon police station were involved in the den.

The deputy chief also dismissed claims that police fired tear gas into the den before arresting the patrons.

However, a dishwasher, identified only as Duan, claimed that she had seen three or four police officers in plain clothes come to the den a few days before the raid, which she said started with police firing tear gas into the den.

National police chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong said his inquiry showed that some officers may have used their personal tear-gas sprays in self-defence. He added that there were four major gambling dens in Bangkok, in the Phya Thai, Pratunam, Thon Buri and Tao Poon areas.

Meanwhile, Chalerm said police had seized Bt45 million worth of gambling chips during the 4am raid yesterday.

Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pol Maj-General Amnuay Nimmano said 86 men and 114 women had been arrested, adding that the gamblers were playing baccarat and kam tua, a game involving bets on how many seeds are held in each hand. He said police also seized gambling equipment and a pistol.

Suspects who have confessed will be taken to court, while those awaiting interrogation are under police detention. He added that though he personally thought it was acceptable for police officers to use tear gas in self-defence, those who insist that it had been used indiscriminately could file a complaint against the officers and an investigation would be launched.

As police file charges against suspects for gambling - a charge that is punishable by up to three months in jail and Bt2,000 in fines - they also plan to seek an arrest warrant for the den's landlord and call on the Anti-Money-Laundering Office to look into the case because it involves more than 100 suspects and more than Bt10 million.

In related news, the Ratchadaphisek Criminal Court yesterday postponed the reading of a verdict in the case of businessman Phaijit "Por Pratunam" Thammaroj-pinij and eight others to February 21. The court said it had many outstanding cases and was behind schedule because it had to be closed for two weeks during the flood disaster. Phaijit and his accomplices are being tried for allegedly operating a gambling den, possessing stolen items and charging too much interest.

-- The Nation 2011-12-22

[whybother]

Someone forgot to pay their tea money ...

[shawndoc]

Strange they arrested the patrons, but only 1 employee.

[SunDaRi]

This place existed for years, they only discover it now?

[sirchai]

Deputy national police chief Pol General Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya led a team of 100 officers yesterday on an early-morning raid into a major gambling den in Bangkok's Tao Poon area and arrested 199 patrons and a worker.

Isn't this guy the father of the girl who killed some people in a road accident a while ago? Can't be too many ne Ayutttthayas,,,,

[newermonkey]

"Meanwhile, Chalerm said police had seized Bt45 million worth of gambling chips during the 4am raid yesterday."

And the Bt80 million CASH went straight to the police chiefs pocket.

Edited December 22, 2011 by newermonkey

[SWW]

Isn't this guy the father of the girl who killed some people in a road accident a while ago? Can't be too many ne Ayutttthayas,,,,

Yes there can ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_royal_and_noble_titles#After_Mom_Luang

[robertson468]

"Meanwhile, Chalerm said police had seized Bt45 million worth of gambling chips during the 4am raid yesterday."

And the Bt80 million CASH went straight to the police chiefs pocket.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would have thought that outside the gambling den the chips are as good as worthless

[newermonkey]

"Meanwhile, Chalerm said police had seized Bt45 million worth of gambling chips during the 4am raid yesterday."

And the Bt80 million CASH went straight to the police chiefs pocket.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would have thought that outside the gambling den the chips are as good as worthless

Exactly bits of worthless plastic with a face value of 5 Baht per kilo... that's my POINT and why I said "the CASH (which is not mentioned at all in the story) went into the police chiefs pocket".

Point I am making is : why they found the plastic but NO MONEY ! "What a joke!!

Why don't the police just admit that this month is when they like to finish the year with some BIG heists, this week you will also see the pathetic brown clothed beggars ripping off innocent motorists.

It would be funny if these beggars worn t armed with guns, To me they are scary clowns.

Edited December 22, 2011 by newermonkey

[whybother]

"Meanwhile, Chalerm said police had seized Bt45 million worth of gambling chips during the 4am raid yesterday."

And the Bt80 million CASH went straight to the police chiefs pocket.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would have thought that outside the gambling den the chips are as good as worthless

Exactly bits of worthless plastic with a face value of 5 Baht per kilo... that's my POINT and why I said "the CASH (which is not mentioned at all in the story) went into the police chiefs pocket".

Point I am making is : why they found the plastic but NO MONEY ! "What a joke!!

That would have something to do with them only nabbing ONE employee.

[witsawakorn]

Strange they arrested the patrons, but only 1 employee.

What law are the employees breaking? If they don't handle gambling money from patrons they might not be breaking the law. Is it illegal to clean an illegal gambling den and get paid a salary for it? i don't know

[MrRed]

It is all show.....be open again next week!

[khaowong1]

Yes, this a total joke. Everybody knows that gambling den has been there for years, including the police. Where did the real money disappear to? It don't take much brain power to figure that out. I just can't believe that these top cops and these top politicians think that people are stupid enough to believe all their bullshit.

[KhunHay]

Strange they arrested the patrons, but only 1 employee.

Exactly. Even a child would not believe such a statement. 100 officer were deployed? So they mean the gambling den operators are equipped with Ninja martial art alike that they dive underneath the mud for an escape route? Or the only employee is a very rare talent that able to multi task his job operation.

Edited December 22, 2011 by KhunHay

[NewlyMintedThai]

Strange they arrested the patrons, but only 1 employee.

Exactly. Even a child would not believe such a statement. 100 officer were deployed? So they mean the gambling den operators are equipped with Ninja martial art alike that they dive underneath the mud for an escape route? Or the only employee is a very rare talent that able to multi task his job operation.

The owner is never on the premises. He spends much of his time at his villa in Khao Yai.

[KhunHay]

Strange they arrested the patrons, but only 1 employee.

Exactly. Even a child would not believe such a statement. 100 officer were deployed? So they mean the gambling den operators are equipped with Ninja martial art alike that they dive underneath the mud for an escape route? Or the only employee is a very rare talent that able to multi task his job operation.

The owner is never on the premises. He spends much of his time at his villa in Khao Yai.

Of course mate, i agreed the BIG BOSS will not appear in the den but do you believe only a soul runnning an illegal gambling den?? 555

[metisdead]

A nonsense troll post has been removed.

[kiwikeith]

I spend a bit of time in pratunam and have a friend who lives there now for over 40 years amazing he has thai residency and his european passport is gone he has to apply for a visa to go home, one day while sipping on the old bear sing he pointed out the peep holes in the building opposite the resturant we were in, he told me pratunam had been a gambling den since r and r days long before the regent and Bayoke were built he remembered them as rice paddocks mind you hes 80 now he said all the back streets are full of little dens with peep holes and there I was looking at that building for years and did not see the peep holes, the local police befriended me over the years also and drink at this restuarant, sometimes they are packing iron and walk out with full bottles of JW black label my friend sometimes says "I think we leave now.

[Heng]

This place existed for years, they only discover it now?

They rediscover it a few times a year, especially when 'Chat' Taopoon gets a little stingy on his gratuities. How would you feel if he were only kicking up say 300,000 a night but taking in 9,000,000 a night in profits?

[KKK]

And just how does a gambling table as large as the one shown in the photo get into Thailand in the first place? I'm assuming it was not made here as local demand would be low (gambling is illegal) and probably not worthy of a factory.

[whybother]

And just how does a gambling table as large as the one shown in the photo get into Thailand in the first place? I'm assuming it was not made here as local demand would be low (gambling is illegal) and probably not worthy of a factory.

How hard is it to make a table?

[lomatopo]

The picture illustrates an interesting phenomenon, perhaps not unique to Thailand, in that most of the patrons at these casinos are female.

There has been a lot of fuss made, this year, about illegal gambling since Chuwit first showed the gambling den video back in August, challenged the Police to do something, then they sat around for three days while the casino moved.

So the Police looked bad. Maybe new Police management felt like they needed to show action so set-up this raid which seems to have netted a single arrest, no leads and no cash (to display)?

One can find the locations of most of the bigger casinos in the metropolitan Bangkok area with a simple Google search; not sure if everyone can gain entry though? My SWAG on the total number of illegal casinos in Thailand would be 1,500 as there never seems to be one more than a short motorbike ride away from any given location.