Local gambling operator in Don Mueang sentenced to four months detention

Don Mueang District Court sentenced a local gambling operator to four months in prison, converting the sentence to detention instead. The gamblers involved received individual penalties of 15-day imprisonment and a 2,000 baht fine but were granted bail awaiting the court’s final judgement. This verdict was delivered yesterday at Don Mueang District Court.

The court considered the case where the prosecutor’s office accused Matanin and her 44 cohorts of organising and participating in illegal gambling activities (a lottery). After examining the defendants’ lawyers, the court found that the defendants did not require legal representation. Upon reading and explaining the charges, the defendants confessed to all the allegations.

Consequently, the court ruled that all 44 defendants violated the Gambling Act B.E. 2478, Section 4, Paragraph One, 12(1). The actions of the first defendant constituted several different offences; therefore, she was sentenced for each crime according to the Criminal Code, Article 91.

The first defendant was found guilty of organising gambling activities and received a four-month prison sentence. For her role as the bookmaker, she received an additional four-month sentence, totalling an eight-month term, reported KhaoSod.

The defendants numbered two to four were found guilty of participating in the gambling activities and each received a one-month prison sentence and a fine of 4,000 baht. All 44 defendants confessed, which was beneficial for the court’s consideration and led to a reduced sentence under the Criminal Code, Article 78.

Therefore, the first defendant’s sentence was halved for each crime, leaving her with a total of two months for each crime, totalling four months. The defendants numbered 2-44 received a reduced sentence of 15 days in prison and a fine of 2,000 baht.

Organised gambling

After analysing the circumstances of the case, it was found that this was an instance of organised gambling in a gambling den with a large number of participants. Therefore, it was deemed appropriate not to withhold the prison sentence for the first defendant but instead, to convert it to detention, two months for each crime, totalling four months, as stated in the Criminal Code, Article 23.

The defendants numbered two to 44, who had no prior prison sentences, were allowed to become good citizens by having their prison sentences deferred for one year. If the defendants numbered two to 44 failed to pay the fine, they would be dealt with according to the Criminal Code, Articles 29 and 30. The confiscated items were ordered to be returned, with the defendants numbered 2-44 paying half of the fine.