PATTAYA, Thailand – District officials and police have shut down an illegal hi-lo gambling operation in Nongprue, East Pattaya, arresting 31 people and seizing cash and gambling equipment during a late-evening raid on January 22.
The operation, carried out at around 7:06 p.m., followed instructions from Banglamung District Chief Anusak Phiriya-amorn after complaints were received from local residents. A joint team of district administration officers and police targeted an unnumbered house in Soi Phatthanakan 4, which had been operating as a gambling venue in the middle of a residential area.
Upon entering the premises, officers found around 30 gamblers actively placing bets, while one dealer was shaking the dice amid loud cheering that had disturbed nearby households. Several gamblers attempted to flee as authorities announced their presence, but all were eventually detained.
A search of the property uncovered cash, hi-lo gambling equipment, scoreboards, dice trays and covers, as well as three CCTV cameras and monitors displaying dice results. The room was air-conditioned and set up in a manner resembling a small, organized casino.
During the arrest, a woman in her 50s reportedly experienced a heart-related medical emergency. Rescue volunteers were called to the scene and transported her to hospital for treatment.
The dealer later told officers that the gambling den had been operating for about a week. He also remarked that the group may have been caught because they had failed to make traditional offerings to local spirits, a comment that drew attention among those present.
All 31 suspects, along with the seized evidence, were handed over to Nong Prue Police Station for legal proceedings in accordance with the law.
