Secret cockfighting ring busted in Pattaya
Bang Lamung police led a crackdown on an illicit cockfighting gambling den nestled in Bang Lamung, Chon Buri, resulting in the arrest of 45 individuals.
Responding promptly to public grievances, Bang Lamung District Chief Veekit Manarotkit swiftly orchestrated a law enforcement sweep on Sunday, February 11, targeting the covert den ensconced within Soi Baan Kreak, Nong Pla Lai. Covert operatives infiltrated the cockfighting circle while officers encircled the premises.
Camouflaged amidst sprawling cassava plantations, the den boasted a fleet of over 50 parked vehicles. Within, four bustling cockfighting arenas played host to scores of Thai punters wagering on battling roosters. As authorities swooped in, gamblers caught wind of the impending raid, attempting desperate escapes into the surrounding fields. However, the Bang Lamung police’s rapid intervention resulted in the capture of 45 individuals and the seizure of 18 combat-ready cocks. An assortment of betting slips and a substantial sum of cash, tallying several thousand baht, were also confiscated as evidence.
Police inquiries revealed 66 year old Chaiwat Nuanchan as the proprietor of the den. Allegedly, he leased the premises and facilitated the cockfighting spectacles, pocketing commissions from each bet placed. Chaiwat confessed to his involvement, now confronting legal ramifications alongside his fellow punters, reported Pattaya News.
While cockfighting enjoys legality as a historic cultural tradition in Thailand, gambling remains strictly prohibited – prompting the decisive raid on the clandestine venue.
In related news, Thailand’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is currently investigating claims of life-threatening harassment against two of its senior prosecutors, allegedly committed by a group of police officers connected to major gambling operations. The distressing allegations were brought forward by Kulthanit Mongkolsawat, the chief of the OAG’s Investigation Office, and Suriyon Prabhasavat, a senior public prosecutor.
The OAG spokesperson, Prayut Phetcharakhun, revealed last Saturday, February 10, that the prosecutors’ plea was under consideration by the OAG. He also mentioned that the Deputy Police Chief, Thana Chuwong, had invited the OAG to assign staff to the police investigation team.
