Has Pattaya bridge raid gone viral Please do let us know

[ttthailand]

I am waiting for an apology and compensation from who ever authorized this bust. They wasted 384 + hours of these people's time on top of the stress. Plus they forced them to sign documents stating something that was not correct or stay in jail. This is an outrage !!!!

Edited February 4, 2016 by ttthailand

[Laughing Gravy]

Well done to the Pattaya police. after watching this on the BBC news you really have kept you image up and in the spotlight. How great to catch so many criminals and have 50 of the finest crack solving officers to smash this den of inequity. I am sure the streets are much safer having these hardened lifetime criminal masterminds off committing those heinous crimes. A big pat on the back. The world is awe, once again. That will teach anyone who flaunts the law and misses a customs stamp in the future.

I am sure other TV posters feel safe now at night. I am now off to go and puke.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Laughing Gravy

[prk888]

my lovely bright Thai wife cannot understand why all this (worldwide) fuss.

Wonder if many Thais are actually interested or bothered.

A dead cert the police etc. involved wont be.

IMHO your wife will be in the minority. Most Thais that I know are extremely respectful and protective of the elderly (Thai or not) and will disagree with ill treatment of the elderly.

Maybe if your wife's 84 year old mother or grandmother was arrested, loaded onto a pick-up truck, and had to spend 12 hours in a police station, then pay 5,000 baht bail, for the heinous crime of possessing playing cards, she would have more empathy.

you missed my point. She was not bothered about the Thai Auhorities being made a worldwide laughing stock and NOT that elderly people were mistreated

[sceadugenga]

Come now, folks. Shouldn't we be applauding the efforts by the Army and police to eradicate the dangerous criminal element in Pattaya? What could they possible be doing that would be of greater importance than shutting down a seniors bridge club, and incarcerating the evil participants?

These criminals should take the opportunity to rid themselves of this dreadful addiction, I shudder to think of the valuable hours I once wasted on it.

Full marks to the Government for cracking down on vice in this otherwise peaceful and innocent holiday resort.

[stag4]

Keystone Cops strike again ?

[ggt]

If your were a Thai cop...would you rather raid a neighborhood bridge club...or check out a domestic dispute where knives and guns are being used?

[WitawatWatawit]

K. Chodchoy, a big, big thanks for stepping in so quickly and decisively. But I don't accept the "confusion" excuse. If there was any doubt, the police had an obligation under law to clear those doubts before taking action that could adversely affect someone. That means there was clear malice in this operation.

If the police were under pressure from the army to launch the raid regardless, then they had an obligation to refuse as required by law. If this is how it occurred, then once again you have to assume malice.

is the govt minister responsible for the police. He is strangely quiet. Can we assume, therefore that he regards this as insignificant? If so, then once again the word malice springs to mind.

What an appalling state of affairs.

[uwe_rayong]

If your were a Thai cop...would you rather raid a neighborhood bridge club...or check out a domestic dispute where knives and guns are being used?

Yes you are correct, but this time they underestimated the worldwide stir up this produces.

By uploading their brave raid to youtube they managed to set a new benchmark - unfortunately not in bravery..

It is not so that Bridge is unknown to Thais.

http://www.thailandbridgeleague.com/

They also have championships and according to the website are sponsored by Bangkok Bank, Singha and PTT and others.

Well done.

[Emster23]

Good for German lady. Can we visit her in the slammer? Little know bit of history was Hitler began his crackdowns by shutting down bridge dens (kidding). Can we get some legal advice regarding if strip poker legal or not? No money changes hands.....

[brewsterbudgen]

The latest update is that the Pattaya police understand that they made a complete fool of themselves and that the paid bail money will be refunded to the people.

I do not believe it until I read it in the news and hear it from the bridge players themselves, I highly doubt they will get their money back .

If it's real bail money it will have to be returned when/if it goes to court.

[realfunster]

It really is all quite ridiculous.

I can't blame RTP for investigating the report received but the total lack of common sense shown after arriving on scene is staggering. Perhaps they felt obliged to do something as they had called in local media to watch them at work.

Watching the video, it was apparent to anyone with half a brain that this was a group of (largely) elderly people enjoying some social card games.

Why they didn't just take the easy way out with a few smiles & jokes is beyond me.

But no, they cart them all off to the station for 12 hours.

Right at the end of the video you can see a very elderly & infirm lady with a walking stick being helped onto the bus to go to the station. Scandalous & I cannot fathom why no one in the raiding party had the thought that this was starting to look all wrong.

At first I saw the funny side of this but RTP really pushed it way too far in detaining those involved. Outrageous. If it were me I would be demanding a public meeting (all the same local press in attendance) with appropriate apologetic wai-ing from those RTP involved.

[patsfangr]

It really is all quite ridiculous.

I can't blame RTP for investigating the report received but the total lack of common sense shown after arriving on scene is staggering. Perhaps they felt obliged to do something as they had called in local media to watch them at work.

Watching the video, it was apparent to anyone with half a brain that this was a group of (largely) elderly people enjoying some social card games.

Why they didn't just take the easy way out with a few smiles & jokes is beyond me.

But no, they cart them all off to the station for 12 hours.

Right at the end of the video you can see a very elderly & infirm lady with a walking stick being helped onto the bus to go to the station. Scandalous & I cannot fathom why no one in the raiding party had the thought that this was starting to look all wrong.

At first I saw the funny side of this but RTP really pushed it way too far in detaining those involved. Outrageous. If it were me I would be demanding a public meeting (all the same local press in attendance) with appropriate apologetic wai-ing from those RTP involved.

Your point is well taken, realfunster. However, given the fact that no Thai subordinate would DARE question or refuse to obey an order from his superior; the blame for this foolish and offensive action must rest with the highest ranking official who ordered it. That man may not have even been present at the raid. We may never know.

[mikebell]

Do Thai police ever get red-faced through embarrassment? I used to belong to this club so I have had a lucky escape.

[Srikcir]

Will someone please tell Prayut that Bridge involves a lot of Rubber.

Then not only should the charges be dropped but each player would receive a cash subsidy to continue playing!

[brewsterbudgen]

Do Thai police ever get red-faced through embarrassment? I used to belong to this club so I have had a lucky escape.

If the police were following military orders, and the presence of the army at the raid suggests they were, the red faces belong higher up!

[sawadee1947]

I think it's their expression that we farangs are not welcome. Just they give us again a sign of THAINESS.

[sceadugenga]

Why is bridge being singled out?

What about that fumbling of pieces, the bashing of bishops in secluded corners?

Chess players.... be afraid, be very afraid.

[Jools]

Why is bridge being singled out?

What about that fumbling of pieces, the bashing of bishops in secluded corners?

Chess players.... be afraid, be very afraid.

In the case of chess, it should be noted that a king and queen are involved. Could chess players be charged under Article 44?

Edited February 5, 2016 by Rimmer
fonts and quote corrected

[JAS21]

They could have raided just about any golf course and seen money changing hands at every hole ...and who would these gamblers be ...

[biker Bob]

ekstrabladet.dk/112/thailand-32...bridge/5938676 In the Danish papers as well.

[northernphil]

Sorry I'm not willing to get near cards in Thailand. But I do play online poker from my laptop, come and get me !

Oh and I play Spider Solitaire, can you get arrested for playing with your self ? On a slightly more serious note , I think the old 'uns were gambling but not for money. If it looks like rain and you go out without a coat you are taking a gamble surely ?

[kingdratsab]

Those arrested were freed on a $140 bail after 12 hours in custody. The final person was unable to pay bail and remains in jail.

That's what friends are for!

One story I read said the woman refused to sign a form saying that she was gambling, and thus was kept in the cells. If that's the case, I have found a new hero. I want to meet her. Let's see the mighty Boys in Brown take on a foreign granny.

Pleeeeeeeeeeaase do tell me this lady was BRITISH !! Splendidly straight from Downton Abbey

Sry to disapoint......i understand her to be a german national......(prob an illegal refugee lol)....pity they didn't all stand alongside her.

[bazza40]

The latest update is that the Pattaya police understand that they made a complete fool of themselves and that the paid bail money will be refunded to the people.

I do not believe it until I read it in the news and hear it from the bridge players themselves, I highly doubt they will get their money back .

"Bridge allows players to accumulate points rather than win money and Khunying Chodchoy vowed to fight any possible Court case in the future, on behalf of those arrested on Thursday, although one of the arrestees who does not wish to be named told Pattaya One that he was given verbal confirmation from the Police that the case will likely be dropped and the 5,000 Baht bail money each of the players paid will be returned."

Source: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221299/confusion-and-anger-at-pattaya-bridge-club-raid/

Not good enough. Some serious demotions or transfers to remote outposts of senior police need to happen, if only to get the message home that arrant stupidity is not a good career move.

[realenglish1]

This is going to hurt the image of Thailand more than anything else they can or cannot do

Common "bridge Players "

[kingdratsab]

They have an international corruption table that lists Thailand as one of the worst developing countries for corruption and graft.

And these numpties believe it's a good idea to raid a bunch of old fogeys playing bridge on a sunny afternoon.

Would somebody please start a table of the most idiotic governments in the developing world - Thailand would win, and based on points, it would be a long way to second place.

And these prats actually uploaded the lunacy to Youtube themselves!! As if they think they did a smart thing!!

There's stupid, and then there's really stupid, but Baby, it just don't get any more stupid than this.

Must go, me and my mates are playing Texas holdem tonight and I can't be late as we use my chips. PM me for the address.

not wishing to pee on your parade but one definition of a fogey is " an extremely fussy, old-fashioned, or conservative person (esp in the phrase old fogey) "

I do not and will not see how from reading a press article you can apply this epithet to these folk who by playing bridge (something I never mastered) are using their brains first and foremost. Fussy? old fashioned? conservative? maybe, maybe not. Bunch of old fogeys - never !

How about Old Farts then? Its got a much nicer RING..... LOL

[edd]

Am I at risk, my hobby is close up magic, I have about 8 or 10 sets of various types of cards.

Not many full decks but most from outside Thailand.

Never mind if the idiots in Brown raid me I will have to disappear.

[DrTuner]

How to stick your face into a meat grinder, Pattaya BiB style. I hope this story lasts for months.

[hugh2121]

Let me get this right. Individuals are permitted to possess 120 playing cards, a little over 2 packs.

32 foreigners were arrested but surely they did of have 64 packs of cards between them. Did they?

[FracturedRabbit]

First they need to be able to read then understand, then translate, so forget it, it's impossible for any Thai.

just read .............

A German woman was the last offender in custody on Thursday, refusing to sign a gambling confession as a prerequisite to being granted bail for 5,000 baht (approximately $140).

I respect her because I feel like I should have done the same, but I didn't have the guts, said Watson, who did not hesitate to confess his role as ringleader.

Well if not a British granny then a German lady is just fine in my book

The document will almost certainly be in Thai, so she is quite right not to sign it.

Been there before myself, although not for card playing.

They will give you a verbal translation, but things can get lost in doing so.

By signing, you are admitting that you have read it in full, and understand it.

The usual casual TV racism, and not true. I know many Thai people who are perfectly capable of translating into English. My wife for example. I showed her your comment and her observation was "what a <deleted>!", so she can not only translate into English; she also knows some useful words!

[hugh2121]

The latest update is that the Pattaya police understand that they made a complete fool of themselves and that the paid bail money will be refunded to the people.

I do not believe it until I read it in the news and hear it from the bridge players themselves, I highly doubt they will get their money back .

"Bridge allows players to accumulate points rather than win money and Khunying Chodchoy vowed to fight any possible Court case in the future, on behalf of those arrested on Thursday, although one of the arrestees who does not wish to be named told Pattaya One that he was given verbal confirmation from the Police that the case will likely be dropped and the 5,000 Baht bail money each of the players paid will be returned."

Source: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221299/confusion-and-anger-at-pattaya-bridge-club-raid/

When I was in the RAF, we used to play bridge in the crew room. Often just for the fun of it. However, I have played for as much as £1 a hundred points. Simply keep the score sheets and settle up later. Bridge as a game can be entertaining and is mentally stimulating but it is "possible" to play the game for money...gambling. Only saying it's possible, not saying these people are guilty.