17 arrested in gambling den sweep

PHUKET: In the latest bid to crackdown on illegal gambling on the island, 17 people were arrested in two weekend raids led by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Apirak Hongthong.

On Saturday, eight were arrested in a suspected “high-low” gambling den in Tung Tong.

Police charged four women – Tassanee Klaharn, 37, Thaworn Sudjai, 35, Supawadee Klaharn, 35, and Songsak Buathong, 55. The other four were men: Wichai Boon-In, 42, Boonlue Dadjarit, 43, Sawai Inphuwa, 44, and Chayodom Boon-In, 21.

On the premises, Tung Tong police found 250 baht and papers believed to be high-low score cards. Seven of those arrested were held on 5,000-baht bail, while bail for Tassanee, believed to be hosting the activity, was set at 10,000 baht. All have confessed to the charges, police said.

On Sunday night, Phuket City Police nabbed nine suspected gamblers and recovered 5,340 baht in cash and a deck of cards in a guest room at the Kathina Hotel on Sakdidet Rd in Phuket City.

Room number 1202 proved to be not so lucky for the seven women and two men police found inside and arrested.

Facing gambling charges are Bung-earn Pongkrajang, 53, Tharda Jamkrut, 43, Atjima Patthikul, 28, Tanatporn Saipupeng, 32, Rotjana Archanai, 48, Suganya Atchayata, 45, Suwannee Ponpansap, 37, Chairat Jongkraijak, 40, and Suratham Tammachantha, 34.

Col Apirak said the operation was part of the police’s ongoing “Thao Thep Strategy” to suppress crime.