Two held on fake gold charges

PHUKET TOWN: Two women were arrested on Saturday night for pawning fake gold in order to get money to gamble at a casino near Kathu. Pol Maj Sermpan Sirikong, Chief of the Special Duties Division of the Phuket Provincial Police Department, said that he received a complaint from Paisarn Vechawanichsanong, a pawnbroker, that he had paid 90,000 baht to vegetable seller Suda Apai, 38, and Arin Hatthaphol, 40, a vendor of desserts, in return for 405 grams of gold jewelry. He later discovered that the jewelry was fake. Later the same day, K. Paisarn again called the police to say that the two women could be found in a casino near the entrance to the Kathu waterfall. Officers visited the casino and arrested the two women, who admitted the offence. Police had no information on charges or potential prosecution of the operators of the casino. Meanwhile, police in Phuket Town last night raided a room in the Sinthawee Hotel and arrested 13 women on gambling charges. Acting on information received, a team of investigators led by Pol Capt Somkit Boonyarat raided the room. Inside, they found a group of 13 traditional Thai masseuses who work at the hotel gambling on a card game called “Pok Deng” or “Pai Paad Kao”. All were arrested.