Two commissioners summoned over gambling den raids by Thai soldiers

[kjun12]

One by one the police corrupt big shots are getting uncovered.

This is why they supported Thaksin, Yingluck and the rest as they never bothered them in their mafia dealings.

About time this police force has been investigated and dealt with.

My worries is why don't they fire them but put them in inactive posts while they still draw their salaries.

Hope this will change soon.

People like you seem to have forgotten that police corruption has been common in Thailand before and even after the Shinawatras. The police were most corrupt during The Democrats under Abhisit.

[metisdead]

Some irrelevant posts and replies have been removed.

[h90]

One by one the police corrupt big shots are getting uncovered.

This is why they supported Thaksin, Yingluck and the rest as they never bothered them in their mafia dealings.

About time this police force has been investigated and dealt with.

My worries is why don't they fire them but put them in inactive posts while they still draw their salaries.

Hope this will change soon.

People like you seem to have forgotten that police corruption has been common in Thailand before and even after the Shinawatras. The police were most corrupt during The Democrats under Abhisit.

Yes but only because Abhisit was too weak, not because he supported it. And before Thaksin the government had to repair the economic crises that was caused by the same group Thaksin belongs to.

I don't like to defend the Democrats, they were weak but never as corrupt as Thaksin and all the bad laws came from the Shinawatras. The Dems let it run, let the people have freedom but didn't do much. Don't do much is still better than do real wrong things.

[sweatalot]

If soldiers can find the casinos, then surely the police knew of their existence. The police should be embarrassed but, I'm afraid they're not. Inactive posts gets their snouts out of the trough and in a holding pattern until they can be reinstated or prosecuted and fired. If the General keeps this up, they just might get the message that their corruption is no longer tolerated.

of course the Police knows about them, they are all either run and "owned" by Police themselves or given protection by the Police when they are run by businessmen/politicians.

And the Military has it's own areas of protection too, not just the Police.

"And the Military has it's own areas of protection too, not just the Police."

For sure you will post the evidence you have for this?

Edited February 27, 2015 by sweatalot

[lvr181]

Inactive posts? Bust them back to the lowest level (without right of further advancement) if incompetent or discharge them if criminally liable.

[halloween]

yes but by banning it the money won't go into the childrens education it will go into something other stupid...women, unreasonable cars, drinking, driving to the casino at the border to Cambodia. You can't force other peoples luck.

I remember a news story from oz - a few months after SA legalised poker machines, a family owned tyre business in a fairly remote town went tits up because their sales had dropped markedly. Legalising gambling has consequences, beyond what you can imagine.

[Lite Beer]

Senior police officers moved after Army leads raids on gambling dens
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- TWO SENIOR metropolitan police commanders have been transferred to inactive posts after military officers earlier raided two Bangkok gambling dens in their jurisdiction.

Royal Thai Police chief Pol-General Somyot Poompanmuang said a clarification over frequent raids from Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lieutenant Srivara Ransibrahmanakul would be needed before he would decide if Sriwara would be held responsible for alleged inaction in the police's anti-vice efforts.

The two officers transferred were the heads of Metropolitan Police Division 2 and 4, where the gambling dens were - in Bang Khen and Khok Khram police stations' jurisdiction, respectively.

RTP spokesman Pol Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri said that Pol Maj-Generals Korkiat Wongsumeth and Piyaphan Pingmuang currently serve at an RTP unit for an indefinite timeframe.

He said officers from the Central Investigation Bureau would now be assigned to help the MPB with anti-vice operations, but this new CIB role was not an intervention into MPB affairs or duties.

Speaking later, Somyot said the Army units were taking active roles in anti-vice operations because they were authorised to initiate raids under martial law. He said the Army raids were not considered interference in police duties and many raids were joint operations with police taking part.

A team of 50 soldiers and 10 local police raided a network of notorious gambling dens in Bangkok's Tao Poon area yesterday afternoon, and seized a large number of handguns, betting equipment and narcotics.

Somyot said after that dens were now operating in a smaller way following suppression by the military in a social reform move. This made it more difficult for the police to keep tracks of the dens' operations and suppress them.

"This is not an excuse for the MPB -therefore the CIB has been assigned to assist, from now on," he said.

The raids were initially resisted by local residents, who allegedly act as lookouts, as has been reported regularly in news reports over the years. They accused the officials of damaging private property and causing a disturbance after officials hammered down many walls and cut off padlocks, and found the contraband items.

The items found were marijuana, spent "ice" flakes, eight pistols and ammunition, one gambling machine and a list of people banned from entering the dens.

The raids were conducted by troops from the Second Cavalry Division along with city administration police and 10 police from Tao Poon station.

News reports cited an earlier statement by Somyot about the Tao Poon gambling network having not been used recently. He said MPB recently reported to him that dens in the network were full of spider webs and covered with dust - a finding reported by a team of soldiers and police who raided them on an unspecified date.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Senior-police-officers-moved-after-Army-leads-raid-30255052.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-28

[NeverSure]

There has long been animosity between the RTP and the army. Top army officials as well as RTP officials have insane amounts of money to show for their relatively small salaries.

This is another targeted cleansing. Strange how "some people" won't discuss their wealth while requiring others to do so. Strange how "some people" are getting assets taken away while others don't.

They are all corrupt to the core and no one should believe that this "cleansing" is for the benefit of ordinary Thais.

[NongKhaiKid]

The small picture would suggest the media must have been told in advance of the raids so they could be present and report.

So much for operational security but publicity is publicity and much loved by officialdom.

[Keesters]

One by one the police corrupt big shots are getting uncovered.

This is why they supported Thaksin, Yingluck and the rest as they never bothered them in their mafia dealings.

About time this police force has been investigated and dealt with.

My worries is why don't they fire them but put them in inactive posts while they still draw their salaries.

Hope this will change soon.

People like you seem to have forgotten that police corruption has been common in Thailand before and even after the Shinawatras. The police were most corrupt during The Democrats under Abhisit.

Evidence please or is this just another red fantasy.

[than]

One by one the police corrupt big shots are getting uncovered.

This is why they supported Thaksin, Yingluck and the rest as they never bothered them in their mafia dealings.

About time this police force has been investigated and dealt with.

My worries is why don't they fire them but put them in inactive posts while they still draw their salaries.

Hope this will change soon.

People like you seem to have forgotten that police corruption has been common in Thailand before and even after the Shinawatras. The police were most corrupt during The Democrats under Abhisit.

Taksin red sponsor was a police colonel, and he is the most corrupt people of all Thailand.......

[NeilSA1]

There has long been animosity between the RTP and the army. Top army officials as well as RTP officials have insane amounts of money to show for their relatively small salaries.

This is another targeted cleansing. Strange how "some people" won't discuss their wealth while requiring others to do so. Strange how "some people" are getting assets taken away while others don't.

They are all corrupt to the core and no one should believe that this "cleansing" is for the benefit of ordinary Thais.

I probably agree with you only with your first 2 statements.

I am neither for or against legalized gambling, albeit having been a bank manager for 20 years I did see the financial hardships experienced by families of addicted gamblers.

However gambling is illegal in Thailand.

It seems apparent that "alleged inaction in the police's anti-vice efforts." resulted in this anti-vice operation, and resulted in the two heads of Metropolitan Police Division being transferred.

....... A team of 50 soldiers and 10 local police raided a network of notorious gambling dens in Bangkok's Tao Poon area yesterday afternoon, and seized a large number of handguns, betting equipment and narcotics." "The items found were marijuana, spent "ice" flakes, eight pistols and ammunition, one gambling machine and a list of people banned from entering the dens."

Good.Well done to the soldiers and 10 local police for taking action. IMO illegal gambling and vice breeds 'mafia'

It will be interesting to see developments regarding Somyot's earlier statement about the Tao Poon gambling network having not been used recently, -" dens in the network were full of spider webs and covered with dust..."

[NeverSure]

There has long been animosity between the RTP and the army. Top army officials as well as RTP officials have insane amounts of money to show for their relatively small salaries.

This is another targeted cleansing. Strange how "some people" won't discuss their wealth while requiring others to do so. Strange how "some people" are getting assets taken away while others don't.

They are all corrupt to the core and no one should believe that this "cleansing" is for the benefit of ordinary Thais.

-snip-

Good.Well done to the soldiers and 10 local police for taking action. IMO illegal gambling and vice breeds 'mafia'

"Mafia." Would that be the people raiding. also, perchance?

[nithisa78]

“I am motivated by my desire to seek new opportunities and expanding growth in the New Year.”

[geriatrickid]

Lets keep it clear.

Adult people meet together in a private house and play games with their own money. None of them was forced to play. It is not harmful for the body (like narcotics).

This is criminal because a guy 2500 years ago MAYBE didn't like gambling, but never told something about punishment.

I fail to see where the problem is.

If you do not see the problem then you are willfully blind.

The problem gamblers fall into debt and then they are used by the criminals who run these gambling dens. This is how the criminal theft rings obtain inside information to carry out their warehouse thefts etc.

Those who are most susceptible are the poor. The die hard gamblers are sick and are being exploited, just as drug addicts are exploited. You do not see a problem, but the community does, when children go hungry because a parent has gambled the food money away. Families see the problem when a family member falls into debt in fixed games and the debtor is saddled with extortionate interests rates. You are a fool if you think these gambling dens are clean operations. The games are fixed, the dice loaded, the cards marked etc. Gambling is just as harmful if not more so than narcotics because the addicts can pass for regular folks while they steal from their families, pass inside info, or physically abuse their families as they slide into the chess pool of deceit that is a chronic gambler's life.

[lovetotravel]

There has long been animosity between the RTP and the army. Top army officials as well as RTP officials have insane amounts of money to show for their relatively small salaries.

This is another targeted cleansing. Strange how "some people" won't discuss their wealth while requiring others to do so. Strange how "some people" are getting assets taken away while others don't.

They are all corrupt to the core and no one should believe that this "cleansing" is for the benefit of ordinary Thais.

Corruption is rampant here, as we all know. But corrupt police effect us more than corrupt army officials. Shakedowns on the street, bogus ID and drugs tests, etc. If this helps reform the police force, then I'm all for it. Even if the other side doesn't get reformed. In the end, it will help the ordinary Thai people immensely. As you know, most Thais hate the police, but not the army.

Keep it up! Some progress is being made.

[bikerbri]

There has long been animosity between the RTP and the army. Top army officials as well as RTP officials have insane amounts of money to show for their relatively small salaries.

This is another targeted cleansing. Strange how "some people" won't discuss their wealth while requiring others to do so. Strange how "some people" are getting assets taken away while others don't.

They are all corrupt to the core and no one should believe that this "cleansing" is for the benefit of ordinary Thais.

They are all corrupt to the core and no one should believe that this "cleansing" is for the benefit of ordinary Thais.

You fail to mention that it was "ordinary Thais" who assisted in the the operation of the gambling den. Lets face the facts,the majority of Thai's are corrupt,not just the police.

[Si Thea01]

One by one the police corrupt big shots are getting uncovered.

This is why they supported Thaksin, Yingluck and the rest as they never bothered them in their mafia dealings.

About time this police force has been investigated and dealt with.

My worries is why don't they fire them but put them in inactive posts while they still draw their salaries.

Hope this will change soon.

People like you seem to have forgotten that police corruption has been common in Thailand before and even after the Shinawatras. The police were most corrupt during The Democrats under Abhisit.

Evidence please or is this just another red fantasy.

Honestly, posters like him are just full of it. Always making rash statements without proof but it must be true because he says so and he does appear to be very knowledgeable. 55 We all know that corruption existed before, after and currently but no, he has to make a baseless statement that clearly highlights his bias and lack of ability to see both sides. What is it with that lot? Who gives a toss what happened under the previous governments, it is what is happening now that counts, and boy, it is happening But no, he has to live in the past and post unsubstantiated material in your feeble attempts to highlight his disdain of other's comments.

Costas, for once posts something that shows what many are thinking about these Police being detected, and although I do not like this inactive posting bit, they cannot be fired and/or their salary stopped unless they are actually convicted. So to get them out of the front line and watched, then the next best thing is to name and shame them, give them an inactive posting, and hopefully, by those high up being detected it may eventually filter down to the troops, and after time, they will start to get the message. Took over 20 years in New South Wales, Australia, which now has one of the highest regarded Police forces in the world.

.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Si Thea01

[tif]

Police are at something of a disadvantage in this corruption clean up. Difficult to raid army bases, investigate the payoffs to the top heavy brass whose numbers are legion and wealth vast, all on army pay. Do not be fooled into buying the line that this has to do with cleaning up corruption. It is about getting rid of army competition for fleecing rights.

As are 57 (to date) of their relatives appointed to 'assistant to (army) senator' positions, even though a number of their 'hired and salaried' sons and daughters are currently studying abroad.

[mikemac]

Lets keep it clear.

Adult people meet together in a private house and play games with their own money. None of them was forced to play. It is not harmful for the body (like narcotics).

This is criminal because a guy 2500 years ago MAYBE didn't like gambling, but never told something about punishment.

I fail to see where the problem is.

If you do not see the problem then you are willfully blind.

The problem gamblers fall into debt and then they are used by the criminals who run these gambling dens. This is how the criminal theft rings obtain inside information to carry out their warehouse thefts etc.

Those who are most susceptible are the poor. The die hard gamblers are sick and are being exploited, just as drug addicts are exploited. You do not see a problem, but the community does, when children go hungry because a parent has gambled the food money away. Families see the problem when a family member falls into debt in fixed games and the debtor is saddled with extortionate interests rates. You are a fool if you think these gambling dens are clean operations. The games are fixed, the dice loaded, the cards marked etc. Gambling is just as harmful if not more so than narcotics because the addicts can pass for regular folks while they steal from their families, pass inside info, or physically abuse their families as they slide into the chess pool of deceit that is a chronic gambler's life.

I don't often agree with you GK, but I do on this one.

An English friend of mine in CM recently left his Thai wife because she gambled all their money away. Destroyed their family. They had a big house outside of town before and now they have nothing, even their car was repossessed. My wife gave their son some money to make sure he had enough to eat at school.

Very sad to see this happen to a good guy and a friend as well.

[Pigdog474]

Police are at something of a disadvantage in this corruption clean up. Difficult to raid army bases, investigate the payoffs to the top heavy brass whose numbers are legion and wealth vast, all on army pay. Do not be fooled into buying the line that this has to do with cleaning up corruption. It is about getting rid of army competition for fleecing rights.

I must agree, a friend of mine who recently obtained a contract to build something for the Thai Army told me he had to pay large amounts of money to Various Army personal/official's to get the job. Mr. Prime Minister, if as you say, corruption must be stopped, you should clean in-house first.

[Lupatria]

Police are at something of a disadvantage in this corruption clean up. Difficult to raid army bases, investigate the payoffs to the top heavy brass whose numbers are legion and wealth vast, all on army pay. Do not be fooled into buying the line that this has to do with cleaning up corruption. It is about getting rid of army competition for fleecing rights.

As are 57 (to date) of their relatives appointed to 'assistant to (army) senator' positions, even though a number of their 'hired and salaried' sons and daughters are currently studying abroad.

I read about it too. However, in Thailand this is not considered greed or corruption. According to the President of the NLA, Pornpetch Vichitcholachai this was also formerly been so, so he could see it as no misconduct on the part of the NLA members.

I wonder what is wrong with Costa's friends in the "handpicked" government, if they need advice from 18 year old sons and daughters who study abroad with a salary of up to 24.000 Baht per month on taxpayers expense. I also wonder if they learned this practice in Greece the role model of incompetent and corrupt governance.

[Fat Haggis]

Yes Costas, the man who thinks he's more Thai than than Thais themselves but parr for the course with his responses.

Life before Thaksin must have been incredibly boring, no corruption, no crime, no subjects for faarangs to moan about, all the flowers bloomed on time and the roads were perfect to drive on. There was nobody in jail either as the country was a utopia ..... And then you wake up and realise the likes of Costas has an identity problem !! ?

Edited February 28, 2015 by Fat Haggis

[mikiea]

Lets keep it clear.

Adult people meet together in a private house and play games with their own money. None of them was forced to play. It is not harmful for the body (like narcotics).

This is criminal because a guy 2500 years ago MAYBE didn't like gambling, but never told something about punishment.

I fail to see where the problem is.

ehhhh. .... i think "failing" for you comes easy. to gamble is not a important thing in your life, but it destroys other lifes, children, mothers, and anyone the gambler owes money to. :-)

[halloween]

There has long been animosity between the RTP and the army. Top army officials as well as RTP officials have insane amounts of money to show for their relatively small salaries.

This is another targeted cleansing. Strange how "some people" won't discuss their wealth while requiring others to do so. Strange how "some people" are getting assets taken away while others don't.

They are all corrupt to the core and no one should believe that this "cleansing" is for the benefit of ordinary Thais.

Some corrupt/criminal people are ending up out on their ear or in jail. How is that bad?

If the junta doesn't act, and PTP certainly didn't, they would still be in business. When, and if, Thaksin's stooges get back in, they can pick on their replacements, and more cleansing will get done. The nett result is criminals in jail that otherwise wouldn't be, and hopefully those who allowed them to flourish gone.

Stop harping about intent, and think about results.

[Basil B]

Lets keep it clear.

Adult people meet together in a private house and play games with their own money. None of them was forced to play. It is not harmful for the body (like narcotics).

This is criminal because a guy 2500 years ago MAYBE didn't like gambling, but never told something about punishment.

I fail to see where the problem is.

If it were just friends... but the Army had intelligence, probably know a lot more than reported.

My guess is the Army had intelligence that the police were being paid off by these gambling dens.

[mikebell]

New Pattaya police chief, Pol. Col. Sukthat Pumpunmuang has asked his officers not to take bribes. Certain bars in Soi 6 have been raided & the owners asked for extortionate sums. You can't get short time rooms in some bars - so I've heard.

[Strangebrew]

Hmm no comment cause last one got hand slapped so self imposed inactive post.

[phil2407]

Having just read the BK Post - before raiding the venue a group of residents blocked authorities from entering the casino - the soldiers and police negotiated and were allowed access

1- thought gathering in groups of 5 or more was illegal under Marshall law

2- the residents seem in charge not the army or police

3- using delaying tactics allows those inside to flee

Brilliant!!!!

[lvr181]

As it is likely that police in some, if not many, areas know of gambling dens, why would the Army invite them to participate in a "break in" of gambling den? The Police would have already tipped off the persons involved about the up coming raid! Let the Army or Navy do it under martial law and get a result. Or are these "raids" just for public and media consumption and happiness of Thai peoples?