Pattaya Police bust casino, arrest 93 people in anti-gambling operation

Pattaya Police swooped on a hidden casino, arresting 93 people involved. The illicit gambling establishment had a financial circulation of over 1 billion rupees (418 million baht), according to the police’s findings.

The casino was hidden in the Asia Hotel in Soi Pratumnak 4 in Pattaya, said police. Pattaya Police led by Pol. Col. Thanapong Phothi, superintendent of the Pattaya Police Station, stormed the place at midnight today.

Col. Thanapong revealed that one of the arrested, a 32 year old woman named Sitranan Kaewlor, admitted to overseeing the operation. She informed the officers that she charged Indian tourists 50,000 baht per person for accommodation, meals, and airport transportation to the hotel where the casino was situated, Pattaya News reported.

Furthermore, Sitranan rented the space utilised for the casino endeavours for 120,000 baht. However, the exact duration of the rental agreement remains undisclosed. She ran the illegal gambling facility from afternoon till early morning, ensuring hotel staff were not allowed to enter the room for cleaning purposes. Sitranan collaborates with a Thai individual known only as Phakin to provide the necessary equipment and a card dealer flown in directly from India.

Col. Thanapong confirmed that the police were proceeding with legal action against the 93 suspects on the grounds of gambling. Additional charges are being brought against the casino operators for employing illegal migrant workers without the required work permits.

The superintendent remains resolute in his commitment to expanding the investigation and apprehending any accomplices related to this unlawful organisation.

Thailand is well-known for having some of the most stringent anti-gambling regulations across the globe.