Major Crime - Solved

Anything and everything about Thailand
Bangkokian
Posts: 381
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:55 pm
Location: bangkok
Has thanked: 379 times
Been thanked: 31 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Bangkokian »

lvdkeyes wrote:
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....
I wonder why bingo is not considered gambling since prizes go to winners. Also what about the lottery?
Or horse-racing or boxing?
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Gaybutton »

Bangkokian wrote:Or horse-racing or boxing?
One thing I've noticed - whenever these gambling raids take place it's always a raid on a private room. I don't recall ever seeing any news items about a gambling raid in a public place, with the exception of a venue deliberately set up as a casino.

I have no idea whether that has anything to do with it, but there it is. Maybe that protects the lottery, horse racing, boxing, charitable events with door prize lotteries - or a bingo game . . .
Alex
Posts: 1160
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:42 pm
Has thanked: 35 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Alex »

Some activities that are basically "gambling" have explicitly been legalized, such as the government-run (!) lottery, betting on horse races at certain tracks, etc. I think in that regard Thailand doesn't stand out, that's similar in many other countries. So that's not really such an interesting aspect of this hilarious affair.

But, it's well-known that the police tend to tolerate outright gambling as in card games for money at funerals, at least in certain parts of Thailand where that's a common occurrence (personally I've only seen it in Isaan, so I'm not sure about other regions). I still don't know if they really just turn a blind eye or if that's actually legal as well, does anyone else know?

As for the bridge players (who apparently aren't gamblers as it transpires), I think the outcome is very Thai indeed. Since the police raided the place with big fanfare based on shoddy information, they had to find something to charge the players with, otherwise the raid would be seen as indefensible. Between the various press reports that call it differently, I tend to think that 5,000 baht is really just bail money and not yet the fine. If that's the case, it's anyone's guess what the court will ultimately decide. My guess is that they will fine each player a ridiculously low amount such as 500 or even 100 baht (for the excise violation, not for gambling). It's also possible that they will let them off the hook on a technicality, if they can find one. Last but not least, someone might want to get rid of Pattaya's police chief for reasons I won't elaborate on; this publicity disaster would be an excellent opportunity to act.
Captain Swing
Posts: 230
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:12 pm
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 43 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Captain Swing »

Major crime indeed. I heard this story reported on the major all-news radio station in New York City, with the reporter's tongue slightly in cheek. I was shocked--shocked! when he referred to Pattaya (mispronounced) as a center for prostitution and a vacation spot for gangsters from all over the world. I didn't know that--about the gangsters, I mean.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Gaybutton »

Captain Swing wrote:I didn't know that--about the gangsters, I mean.
In a way, that's right. Perhaps the word 'gangster' overdoes it since many take it to mean gun-toting gangs that rule the streets. The kinds of 'gangsters' that all too often appear in Pattaya, and other parts of Thailand too - mainly Bangkok, are usually small foreign operations. Russian 'gangs' are notorious for getting caught with fake credit card making machines and rigging ATMs. Asian 'gangs' - often Chinese and Korean - get caught for boiler room scam operations, preying on people from their home countries. Thai 'gangs' are often involve drugs and loan sharking.

Pattaya features its own version of 'gangs.' The ones I most often read about are the lady-boy pickpockets along Pattaya Beach Road and on baht buses, purse and necklace snatchers on motorbikes, motorbike theft rings, drug dealers, and gun-toting teenagers, usually shooting each other. Most of that occurs in the wee hours, although the purse and necklace snatchers commit most of their crimes during the day.
loke

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by loke »

We live in a country where the laws were made in the 1930's and 40's . No surprises here.
thewayhelooks
Posts: 320
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2015 4:40 pm
Been thanked: 58 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by thewayhelooks »

An editorial in The Bangkok Post yesterday says the Pattaya organiser of the bridge game claims police tried to intimidate him, promising to release him for 150,000 baht and then dropping the extortionate demand to 50,000 baht. Looks like there are 'gangsters' everywhere.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Gaybutton »

Apparently Barry Kenyon, the former British Consul in Pattaya, was among those arrested in the raid. Here is what he has to say about it:
__________________________________________

Facts from Pattaya

Thank you for your excellent editorial (BP, Feb 8) about the Pattaya bridge club raid. However, one or two details are wrong. We were never put "behind bars" but in a guarded meetings room on the top floor of the building. Also the passports and driving licences of the members are now being returned as we roll up to the police station singly or in groups to collect them. Our bail money cannot yet be returned as the public prosecutor has formally to sign off the cases. This may take until the end of the month. You can't hurry the Orient.

I am not a police apologist and recently had a long letter published in another national newspaper where I detailed the awful and humiliating treatment to which we were exposed in the police station. You claim that police superintendent Sukthat Pumphanmuang personally has "dug in his heels", based on a press report that he won't drop the case. Well, this is the same superintendent who, on examining the evidence, declined to send us to court last week and has since arranged the return of all our passports.

It is an open secret in Pattaya amongst informed observers that the police had cleared the bridge club of all improprieties in a separate investigation three months ago. This raid was not initially conducted by police but by the civilian Department of Public Administration, backed by army personnel, presumably to cover the eventuality that we pensioners started a fight. The DOPA also brought along the local press so that there would be adequate media coverage of the arrests. They certainly got that.

Barry Kenyon

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... om-pattaya
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Gaybutton »

This keeps getting better and better. Now a court has to decide whether a friendly Bridge club is illegal. Maybe this group better start learning to play Chess instead.

Welcome to Thailand . . .
__________________________________________________________________

District Chief: Prosecution of Pattaya Bridge Players will continue as planned

12 February, 2016

Khun Chakorn, the District Chief, who instigated the raid on the Pattaya & Jomtien Bridge Club in South Pattaya on 1st February, has reiterated that he intends to process the prosecution against the 32 Bridge players and allow a Judge to decide if anything illegal was taking place.

The news will come as a blow to those involved who were verbally assured by Police that the case would be taken no further. Passports of those involved were returned, although bail money is will being retained by Police as the case remains open.

The District Chief believes that offenses were committed in relation to the raid and a search warrant was issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court. The warrant stated there were suspicions that offenses were taking place which contravened Section 8 of the Playing Cards Act of 1935 whereby excess numbers of playing cards were present in the room and Alcoholic Beverages were being served between the hours of 2pm and 5pm which contravenes the licenses held by the venue.

Although no charges were brought against any of the players in relation to the alleged offenses stated in the warrant, the District Chief still believes that offenses have been committed under the Thailand Gambling Act of 1935, even though this is disputed by the Contract Bridge League of Thailand, who have become involved in the case and deny allegations that the game of Bridge involves any form of gambling.

The District Chief stated on Thursday that if he did not pursue the case it could set a precedent and encourage others who play cards to challenge the authorities in the future, if it is not completely evident that money was exchanging hands. He would prefer the case be heard in front of a Judge who can then decide if Bridge is illegal to play in Thailand or not.

http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/2214 ... s-planned/
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Major Crime - Solved

Post by Gaybutton »

Barry Kenyon, former British Consul in Pattaya, wrote the following letter-to-the-editor, published in the PATTAYA MAIL:
_________________________________

Bridging the difference

Friday, 12 February 2016

Editor;

I would like to comment on your on-line report about the raid on Pattaya Bridge Club where 30 pensioners were arrested. The local and international media are full of misinformation which is understandable as the case is very confusing and most damaging to Thai tourism.

Firstly, the raid was not conducted by Pattaya police, who have in the past cleared the club of irregularity, but by the civilian officials of Banglamung district office with responsibility for licensing and registration, backed by army personnel in case we pensioners (the oldest is 84) decided to start a punch up. Once the civilian Banglamung boss ordered our arrest, as he is empowered to do, the local police had to detain us. That’s the law.

The charges against us were gambling, licence problems and breaches of a card playing act passed during the Japanese occupation of the 1940s. Our 12-hour humiliating detention has been described in detail in many media and involved fingerprinting, mugshot pictures and compulsory confessions which we were told we could rescind the following day in court. But we never went to court and were released on police bail of 5,000 baht each the following day. Yes it’s a muddle.

We are still on bail but our passports have been returned to us which is highly unusual. If, as we expect, the prosecutor clears the 30 cases, our bail money will be returned. The paperwork and bureaucracy are enormous, as ever in Thailand, so one must be patient. I was at the police station the other day to sign my mugshot pictures. Never try and hurry the Orient!

Our club organizer Jeremy Watson is in a different position. He paid 50,000 baht bail and may (or may not) face licensing charges and accusations of breaching the 1943 act. But the gambling business seems to have evaporated. He will plead not guilty and will be strongly supported by members and Khunying Chodchoy Sophonpanich, president of the South East Asian Bridge Federation and a senior figure in the Bangkok Bank. It will be months before it is clear whether the prosecution will offer evidence in court. If so, the case will drag on for years Thai-style.

I would conclude by observing that the bridge club was founded by me in 1994. I recall the very positive publicity in Pattaya Mail at that time. To say the least, it is surprising that these accusations have never been leveled at us in these 22 years. We are licensed under the Contract Bridge Association of Thailand and have passed several police inspections over the years. But then again, it was not the police who conducted this raid – a crucial point. I am reliably informed that none of our accusers knew the first thing about international duplicate bridge, played in every country in the world including North Korea.

Barry Kenyon

http://www.pattayamail.com/mailbag/brid ... ence-55720
Post Reply