My response: Give me a break!
__________________________
British-led Card Room raided by officials in South Pattaya – UPDATE
03 February, 2016
The Army, Pattaya Police and District Officials, conducted a raid on a 2nd floor rented apartment in South Pattaya on Monday Night which was being used by a Bridge Club for foreign nationals.
Officers received a tip-off from an informant of a regular gathering of foreign nationals in a rented room above the Alto’s Restaurant & Bar in Soi 2 off the Thappraya Road in South Pattaya. The Jomtien & Pattaya Bridge Club meet 3 times a week and is a popular pastime for foreign nationals, mostly British, who live in Pattaya.
Over 50 officers stormed the premises and found 8 tables and 32 foreign nationals, consisting of 26 men and 6 women who were playing the popular card game “Bridge”.
No money was changing hands, however the officers scoured the law books and found an offense was being committed and therefore the alleged organizer of the event, Mr. Jeremy Watson aged 74 from UK was detained for further questioning.
The offense relates to Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time. At the Bridge event, considerably more than 120 playing cards were found by officers.
Computers, Decks of Cards and a book with results of the Bridge games were seized by officers as evidence.
The raid will concern other Bridge club organizers in Pattaya who assumed their gatherings were not breaking any of Thailand’s Anti-Gambling Laws.
UPDATE – 4 February 2016 – 10.00am
One of the card players contacted Pattaya One to update the story.
He revealed that ALL of the card players were arrested and eventually released from Pattaya Police Station at 03.00am after almost 12 hours in custody and paying 5,000 Baht Bail each. They will all appear in Court later on Thursday, even the 84 year old Dutch lady featured in one of our photographs from the scene.
The Bridge club was formed in 1994 and has never encountered a problem such as this. The players are believed to have been charged with gambling offenses, even though they claim no evidence of gambling was present. In addition because the playing cards did not possess an official government seal on the card boxes, this was another offense the officials added to the report of the raid.
Story and photos: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/2212 ... h-pattaya/
Major Crime - Solved
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Gaybutton
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Re: Major Crime - Solved
They disregard their own laws in relation to driving (killing thousands) and have to use 50 officers to arrest a room full of geriatrics ?
Then they wonder why all the tourists are finding other places to visit.
Tit
Then they wonder why all the tourists are finding other places to visit.
Tit
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thewayhelooks
- Posts: 320
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Gaybutton
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Re: Major Crime - Solved
I won't say this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, but it sure comes close. I hope the judge laughs it out of court. The BIB actually had to consult law books to figure out what they could charge these people with. I have a feeling the only reason charges were actually conjured up at all was because the BIB wanted to save face. If that is so, I wonder how much face was lost when arrests were made because apparently the playing cards not bought in Thailand. And it took over 50 officers to take down these desperadoes. I wonder if they broke down the door and stormed in with guns drawn. My goodness - what a terrible crime. Heavy fines, jail time, and deportation coming up. And to think these terrible criminals have been getting away with it for over 20 years. Thank heaven they were finally caught. That'll teach 'em!thewayhelooks wrote:Thailand is a laughing stock.
Apparently it is legal to buy playing cards in Thailand, but woe be unto you if you actually play a card game with them. If you buy a deck of playing cards in Thailand, don't forget to declare them on your customs form when you return to your home country. Otherwise you're liable to be arrested for smuggling.
Be careful if you invite some friends over for a few drinks. You might be arrested for operating an unlicensed bar and working without a work permit.
It reminds me of one of my favorite George Carlin lines:
"Why is it perfectly ok to say 'I pricked my finger,' but you're not supposed to say 'I fingered my prick.'?
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Trongpai
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Re: Major Crime - Solved
Good fodder for the satire news programs like 'Last Week Tonight' with John Oliver. He's done a few on Thailand already and is/was under investigation by the Thai military government for... being funny?
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Jun
Re: Major Crime - Solved
Save face ? Sometimes more credibility is gained by saying "sorry to trouble you", bye.Gaybutton wrote:I won't say this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, but it sure comes close. I hope the judge laughs it out of court. The BIB actually had to consult law books to figure out what they could charge these people with. I have a feeling the only reason charges were actually conjured up at all was because the BIB wanted to save face.thewayhelooks wrote:Thailand is a laughing stock.
The latter approach might just free up some police time to do productive law enforcement.
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Captain Kirk
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Re: Major Crime - Solved
Maybe the folk going to play bingo at Home Bar should make sure they are carrying a spare 5000B when they go. You never know....
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Up2u
Re: Major Crime - Solved
Pattaya and Thailand are getting world wide coverage now of this story.
≠======================================
Unusual suspects: Two elderly Australians among tourist bridge players arrested in Thailand
Date
February 5, 2016 - 11:00AM
Australian tourist bridge players arrested in Thailand
Two elderly Australian tourists are among 32 people arrested for playing the card game in Pattaya.
Bangkok: Two Australians were among 32 ageing Westerners arrested and detained for 12 hours for playing bridge in Pattaya, a Thai seaside resort city renowned for its seedy nightlife.
More than 40 police, soldiers and local officials disrupted the genteel afternoon session in what they portrayed as a swoop on illegal gambling.
But police later conceded they found no evidence of money changing hands in the second-floor Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club that has been holding bridge sessions since 1994.
An elderly bridge player is questioned by a Thai policeman at a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya.
An elderly bridge player is questioned by a Thai policeman at a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya. Photo: Youtube
Club organiser Jeremy Watson said on Friday that police had decided to drop all charges.
Advertisement
"They finally came to believe they had been misinformed about what we were doing," he said.
Mr Watson said the club would continue after applying for a different licence.
Bridge players keep playing as authorities raid a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya.
Bridge players keep playing as authorities raid a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya. Photo: Youtube
He said the players were upset by the accusation they were gambling.
When police arrived club members refused to have their session interrupted and kept playing for about an hour while the police watched.
One German woman in her 60s refused to post bail money and spent an entire night at the police station.
An elderly bridge player is arrested by a Thai policeman in Pattaya.
An elderly bridge player is arrested by a Thai policeman in Pattaya. Photo: Youtube
"She was incensed. She stood her ground," he said.
The gathering violated a 1935 Playing Cards Act that prohibits the possession of more than 120 playing cards at any one time, they said.
Seized decks of cards also lacked official government excise markings, police said.
Computers and books with the results of the bridge games were also seized.
Video of the raid showed the players looking confused as they sat at tables with cards in their hands.
It also showed the detainees, including an 84-year-old Dutch woman with a walking stick, climbing into an open-sided police van.
The players were released from Pattaya police station at 3am after paying the equivalent of $194 bail.
"It was a thoroughly nasty experience," one of the detainees said.
A representative of the Contract Bridge League of Thailand travelled to Pattaya on Thursday to try to convince police not to pursue charges.
Police have not yet referred the cases to court, pending further discussions.
Gambling is illegal in Thailand but Thai bridge enthusiasts told police the group's members were playing only for points.
Since seizing power in 2014 Thailand's military-appointed Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has vowed to crack down on corruption, social ills and domestic and foreign criminal networks.
Raids have been conducted on some of about 900 bars and clubs in Pattaya where prostitution is rife but almost all remain open.
The Bangkok Post reported on Wednesday that Mr Prayuth's regime, concerned over its international image, has tightened rules on foreign media working in Thailand, prompting denial of work permits for about five foreign journalists.
But video of the bridge club raid went viral on the internet, prompting a flood of angry comments from across the world.
The bridge club's website says players meet at 1pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
"A friendly club with a zero [or near-zero] policy. Troublemakers are quickly ejected and beginners welcome," it says.
Players are asked to pay a small fee for each session.
A sign posted on the website on Thursday said the club is "temporarily closed whilst we get a new licence to have cards on the premises".
"All problems have been solved with the understanding by the authorities."
Caught up in the raid was the club's British founder Barry Kenyon, a former British honorary consul more used to helping foreigners who get into trouble in Pattaya.
"They just would not believe we would play for fun and points no matter what," he told reporters.
One raiding officer said: "I see. You put it all in the computer and settle up later."
No food was provided for the accused at the Pattaya police station although a 7-Eleven shopkeeper was allowed to deliver.
Police kept the players aged from 50 to well into their 80s under surveillance at the police station, with an officer insisting on escorting them to the toilet.
As well as the Australians, those arrested included 12 British nationals, three Norwegians, three Swedes, a German, a Dane, a Canadian and a New Zealander.
Pattaya is a popular retirement destination for Western foreigners.
But the city also has a reputation for go-go bars and being a haven for foreign criminals.
In November an Australian former Hells Angels member was abducted from his Pattaya villa in broad daylight.
His naked and brutalised body was found a few hours later in a grave outside the city.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/unusual-sus ... z3zFcHn0EI
≠======================================
Unusual suspects: Two elderly Australians among tourist bridge players arrested in Thailand
Date
February 5, 2016 - 11:00AM
Australian tourist bridge players arrested in Thailand
Two elderly Australian tourists are among 32 people arrested for playing the card game in Pattaya.
Bangkok: Two Australians were among 32 ageing Westerners arrested and detained for 12 hours for playing bridge in Pattaya, a Thai seaside resort city renowned for its seedy nightlife.
More than 40 police, soldiers and local officials disrupted the genteel afternoon session in what they portrayed as a swoop on illegal gambling.
But police later conceded they found no evidence of money changing hands in the second-floor Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club that has been holding bridge sessions since 1994.
An elderly bridge player is questioned by a Thai policeman at a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya.
An elderly bridge player is questioned by a Thai policeman at a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya. Photo: Youtube
Club organiser Jeremy Watson said on Friday that police had decided to drop all charges.
Advertisement
"They finally came to believe they had been misinformed about what we were doing," he said.
Mr Watson said the club would continue after applying for a different licence.
Bridge players keep playing as authorities raid a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya.
Bridge players keep playing as authorities raid a Jomtien and Pattaya Bridge Club meeting in Pattaya. Photo: Youtube
He said the players were upset by the accusation they were gambling.
When police arrived club members refused to have their session interrupted and kept playing for about an hour while the police watched.
One German woman in her 60s refused to post bail money and spent an entire night at the police station.
An elderly bridge player is arrested by a Thai policeman in Pattaya.
An elderly bridge player is arrested by a Thai policeman in Pattaya. Photo: Youtube
"She was incensed. She stood her ground," he said.
The gathering violated a 1935 Playing Cards Act that prohibits the possession of more than 120 playing cards at any one time, they said.
Seized decks of cards also lacked official government excise markings, police said.
Computers and books with the results of the bridge games were also seized.
Video of the raid showed the players looking confused as they sat at tables with cards in their hands.
It also showed the detainees, including an 84-year-old Dutch woman with a walking stick, climbing into an open-sided police van.
The players were released from Pattaya police station at 3am after paying the equivalent of $194 bail.
"It was a thoroughly nasty experience," one of the detainees said.
A representative of the Contract Bridge League of Thailand travelled to Pattaya on Thursday to try to convince police not to pursue charges.
Police have not yet referred the cases to court, pending further discussions.
Gambling is illegal in Thailand but Thai bridge enthusiasts told police the group's members were playing only for points.
Since seizing power in 2014 Thailand's military-appointed Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has vowed to crack down on corruption, social ills and domestic and foreign criminal networks.
Raids have been conducted on some of about 900 bars and clubs in Pattaya where prostitution is rife but almost all remain open.
The Bangkok Post reported on Wednesday that Mr Prayuth's regime, concerned over its international image, has tightened rules on foreign media working in Thailand, prompting denial of work permits for about five foreign journalists.
But video of the bridge club raid went viral on the internet, prompting a flood of angry comments from across the world.
The bridge club's website says players meet at 1pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
"A friendly club with a zero [or near-zero] policy. Troublemakers are quickly ejected and beginners welcome," it says.
Players are asked to pay a small fee for each session.
A sign posted on the website on Thursday said the club is "temporarily closed whilst we get a new licence to have cards on the premises".
"All problems have been solved with the understanding by the authorities."
Caught up in the raid was the club's British founder Barry Kenyon, a former British honorary consul more used to helping foreigners who get into trouble in Pattaya.
"They just would not believe we would play for fun and points no matter what," he told reporters.
One raiding officer said: "I see. You put it all in the computer and settle up later."
No food was provided for the accused at the Pattaya police station although a 7-Eleven shopkeeper was allowed to deliver.
Police kept the players aged from 50 to well into their 80s under surveillance at the police station, with an officer insisting on escorting them to the toilet.
As well as the Australians, those arrested included 12 British nationals, three Norwegians, three Swedes, a German, a Dane, a Canadian and a New Zealander.
Pattaya is a popular retirement destination for Western foreigners.
But the city also has a reputation for go-go bars and being a haven for foreign criminals.
In November an Australian former Hells Angels member was abducted from his Pattaya villa in broad daylight.
His naked and brutalised body was found a few hours later in a grave outside the city.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/unusual-sus ... z3zFcHn0EI
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Gaybutton
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- Location: Thailand
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Re: Major Crime - Solved
Confusion and Anger at Pattaya Bridge Club Raid
4 February, 2016
The raid of a Bridge Club in South Pattaya on Wednesday has become a global news story with many questioning the legalities of the raid and the definition of gambling and how it could possibly relate to the card game, Bridge.
On Thursday we spoke with Khunying Chodchoy, the President of the Contract Bridge League of Thailand, who travelled to Pattaya to assist those arrested during the raid. She was upset at the raid but understood the confusion over the game of Bridge and how it could be construed as gambling by those who do not know how to play it.
She confirmed the game is new to Thais and is already part of the ASEAN games and is likely to feature in the Olympic Games in the future, she said. Regarding the law, Khunying Chodchoy stated that an amendment to the Gambling Laws in 1960 allowed for such games, where money was not changing hands, to be played without any form of license or authorization from the Police or Government.
Bridge allows players to accumulate points rather than win money and Khunying Chodchoy vowed to fight any possible Court case in the future, on behalf of those arrested on Thursday, although one of the arrestees who does not wish to be named told Pattaya One that he was given verbal confirmation from the Police that the case will likely be dropped and the 5,000 Baht bail money each of the players paid will be returned.
Story and photos: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/2212 ... club-raid/
4 February, 2016
The raid of a Bridge Club in South Pattaya on Wednesday has become a global news story with many questioning the legalities of the raid and the definition of gambling and how it could possibly relate to the card game, Bridge.
On Thursday we spoke with Khunying Chodchoy, the President of the Contract Bridge League of Thailand, who travelled to Pattaya to assist those arrested during the raid. She was upset at the raid but understood the confusion over the game of Bridge and how it could be construed as gambling by those who do not know how to play it.
She confirmed the game is new to Thais and is already part of the ASEAN games and is likely to feature in the Olympic Games in the future, she said. Regarding the law, Khunying Chodchoy stated that an amendment to the Gambling Laws in 1960 allowed for such games, where money was not changing hands, to be played without any form of license or authorization from the Police or Government.
Bridge allows players to accumulate points rather than win money and Khunying Chodchoy vowed to fight any possible Court case in the future, on behalf of those arrested on Thursday, although one of the arrestees who does not wish to be named told Pattaya One that he was given verbal confirmation from the Police that the case will likely be dropped and the 5,000 Baht bail money each of the players paid will be returned.
Story and photos: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/2212 ... club-raid/
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lvdkeyes
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Re: Major Crime - Solved
I wonder why bingo is not considered gambling since prizes go to winners. Also what about the lottery?Captain Kirk wrote:Maybe the folk going to play bingo at Home Bar should make sure they are carrying a spare 5000B when they go. You never know....