Two illegal gambling dens in Bangkok were raided on Saturday night, resulting in the arrest of 104 people and the seizure of large quantities of cash and gaming equipment, according to the Department of Provincial Administration (DPA).
The coordinated operations targeted sites in Khlong Sam Wa and Bueng Kum districts and were led by Ronnarong Thipsiri, director of the DPA’s Law Enforcement Operations Centre.
In Khlong Sam Wa, authorities uncovered a casino operating inside an illegally converted single-storey warehouse located within a luxury development on Hathairat Road. A total of 63 gamblers — 33 men and 30 women — were detained at the scene.
Officials seized hi-lo dice gambling equipment, poker-style card tables, fish-shooting machines, and more than 300,000 baht in cash, along with other related items. All suspects and evidence were handed over to investigators at Nimit Mai Police Station.
Meanwhile, a second raid was carried out at a former petrol station in Soi Seri Thai 9 in Bueng Kum district, where 41 gamblers — 21 men and 20 women — were arrested.
Authorities confiscated approximately 50,000 baht in cash, as well as hi-lo gambling equipment and other materials. The suspects were transferred to Bueng Kum Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Mr Ronnarong said the gambling den on Hathairat Road had been uncovered following complaints from local residents, prompting an undercover investigation that gathered sufficient evidence for the raid.
He added that the premises had been rented from a property developer in November last year under the pretext of being used as a storage warehouse.
Initially operating on a limited basis, the venue later expanded into a 24-hour gambling operation, with players rotated in shifts due to space constraints. Daily cash flow at the site was estimated to reach at least 1 million baht.
“This was a well-organised operation with air-conditioned rooms, hi-lo gambling, fish-shooting game machines and even online gambling,” Mr Ronnarong said.
Authorities noted that similar standardised gambling dens have been discovered in several parts of Bangkok, with some employing security personnel to control the number of patrons allowed inside.
“These two raids should serve as a warning to operators elsewhere. We expect this crackdown to send shockwaves across the capital and lead to the closure of other illegal gambling venues,” Mr Ronnarong said.
