Police arrest alleged gambling den boss in Rayong

An alleged gambling den boss in Rayong has been arrested in the Muang district of the province this morning. The man, Somchai Chutikidecha, aka Longchu Somchai, allegedly operated a large illegal gambling den, which was thought to be the source of a major Covid-19 outbreak. Police say he was found in a house surrounded by high walls, in Soi Ratsamakhi in Noen Phra sub-district.

Reports say Somchai went into hiding earlier after police raided a gambling den, with no one hearing from him until his arrest today. The illegal gambling den is attributed to hundreds of people in Rayong, Chanthaburi, Chon Buri and Trat provinces contracting Covid, resulting in the province being locked down. 118 gamblers were arrested on the day of the raid with police saying around 12 million baht circulated through the gambling den daily.

Following his claim that there was no illegal gambling den involved in a Covid-19 outbreak in the eastern province of Rayong, provincial police chief Papatdet Katephan was transferred. The order came from national police chief Suwat Chaengyodsuk as one of the patients has since died.

Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan also assured the public that there were no illegal gambling dens in Bangkok as worries mounted that such unlawful gatherings could potentially spread the virus. He also didn’t mention the transfer of a Bangkok police chief and 5 senior officers for alleged negligence of duty following a gambling den raid in Bangkok’s Laksi area.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World