Chuvit Facebook tip-off sparks Phuket gambling raid

PHUKET: Phuket Police last night raided a gambling den operating near a major government school in Kathu after its location was revealed by controversial MP Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of the Rak Thailand Party, on one of his Facebook pages.

The raid on the gambling den, at 7:20pm in a house about 100 meters from Baan Kathu School, was conducted by 15 officers from the Phuket Provincial Police and Thung Thong Police.

“We arrested 11 gamblers, men and women, who were caught gambling on a dice game. We seized gambling items and 3,900 baht in cash,” said Col Wanchai Palawan, who led the raid.

“The suspects were taken to Thung Thong Police Station for further processing. They have all been charged with gambling,” he added.

Col Wanchai said that the venue had been raided by police about month ago following an order from Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul to crack down on gambling on the island.

“It is a temporary den, most of the gamblers were elderly people,” Col Wanchai said.

On his “Chuwit I’m No. 5” Facebook page, MP Chuwit revealed the locations of seven different gambling dens in Phuket, as follows:

1. An unnamed den in Soi Bai Lan, off Chao Fa Road, in Phuket Town

2. Ko Bee den, near Chalong Circle

3. Go Ber den, near a small temple in Baan Kuku (in Rassada)

4. Go Nong den, near Baan Kathu School [the den raided last night]

5. Ko Jai den, near Heroines’ Monument

6. Ko Yuth den, near a popular seafood restaurant in Rassada

7. Nayok Or den, also called the “Muang Mai den”, opposite a gas station near Phuket International Airport

He also posted on his Facebook page a footnote: “This information if my gift to Region 8 Police, but in reality you already knew about all this.”

— Kritsada Mueanhawong