Rolling the dice: Phuket authorities detain 18 in illegal betting crackdown

Following a tip-off, local authorities in Thalang in Phuket detained 18 people in connection with illegal gambling activities at the weekend. The raid on Sunday, August 13 was orchestrated by the Thalang Police and happened in a local venue in Moo 8, Srisoonthorn.

Upon arrival, law enforcers discovered a crowd revelling in the forbidden pleasures of illicit gambling. Eight men were engrossed in cockfighting, loudly placing bets, with no concern for the law. A nearby table revealed ten more individuals engrossed in a game of Hi-Lo, also known as Sic Bo.

Police immediately stepped in and apprehended all those involved in the illegal gambling. From the cockfighting enthusiasts, a substantial amount of cash and a stopwatch were seized as evidence. No comment was offered on the fate of any chickens at the crime scene.

The Sic Bo gamblers did not escape justice either. Alongside their arrest, the gambling sheet, three dice and 31 betting chips, each worth 20 baht, were confiscated and brought in as illegal evidence. All items were diligently collected by the Thalang Police preparing for impending legal proceedings.

The detained individuals were transported to the Thalang Police Station. Among the group was a woman known only as Ya. She now faces the added charge of conducting an illegal gambling operation without the necessary authorisation. A police spokesperson summarised the illegal gambling raid.

“It was a swift action by our officers on the unauthorised gambling activity in Srisoonthorn that has resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals, and we have begun investigations.”

After police raided the illegal gambling ring and broke up the savage cockfights inside, many residents expressed surprise and disbelief, claiming ignorance about the illicit activities going on inside.

The bust comes just after reports on how illegal gambling is rife and damaging in low-paid manual labour communities.

The escalating gambling addiction is primarily fuelled by socio-economic challenges rather than personal enthusiasm for betting, according to social workers. Government agencies and non-government organisations alike are endeavouring to counteract this trend by offering rehabilitative intervention programmes.