Officials arrest 18 in Phuket gambling bust

Officials arrested 18 people in a gambling bust in Phuket’s Thalang district on Monday. The eight men and ten women were caught at a gambling den in a house in the Thep Kasattri sub-district.

The officials received complaints about an illegal gambling network in the area and acting on the information officers brought the suspects to Thalang Police Station.

The suspects face charges of joining in illegal gambling, and one suspect who is the house’s owner also faces charges of operating an illegal gambling den, The Phuket Express reported.

This news comes just days after a resident of Krabi secretly filmed a gambling den. The video recorder said the house belonged to a former politician, although they did not specify who. However, some gamblers insisted that the house belongs to a businessman.

Police searched the house later, but found it almost empty, with only an ice bucket for drinks. The house is located on a hill in the Krabi Yai sub-district of the main city district. It had been opened as a casino before the police shut it down.

Gambling busts are a common occurrence in Thailand. In July, cyber police busted an illegal online gambling ring in Pattaya and arrested 11 suspects in connection with the illicit activity that pulled in over 100 million baht in revenue.

Time will tell if more details unfold on the recent gambling bust in Phuket.