On the evening of August 27, the Thailand Provincial Administrative Office launched a special operation called "Singh Prab Pyot," raiding a popular casino located in Soi Songprapa 1, Don Mueang area, Bangkok. Previously disguised as a five-a-side football pitch named "Kiat Don Mueang," the interior was divided into several rooms offering various gambling activities including Fan Tan, dice games, and Dragon Tiger.
During the operation, the police arrested 176 gamblers on the spot and seized a large amount of gambling equipment and cash.
The operation was led by Mr. Nirat Phongsitthaworn, the director of the Provincial Administrative Office, and his deputy, Mr. Ronnarong Thipsiri. It was revealed that the Don Mueang police had previously conducted at least ten raids on this location based on court search warrants and had arrested officials from the provincial administration department during these operations.
On the morning of August 28, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Puttan Vichayachai, publicly responded to this operation, emphasizing that the raid was not related to recent police force redeployments or political factors, but was based on resident complaints and long-term investigations. He disclosed that the casino had a complex structure with five levels of entrances and steel doors, and its monthly turnover was estimated between 300 million to 500 million Thai Baht. The police also discovered that a total of 17 bank accounts under the same name were involved, with a total amount of up to one billion Thai Baht.
Puttan stated that combating casinos, call center scams, and drug venues is a government policy, and he personally supervised the execution on site. Regarding police involvement in the operation, he clarified that the initial investigation was conducted by the local administrative department, with the police subsequently cooperating legally in the execution process, denying any situation where residents turned to administrative complaints due to distrust of the police.
The case is still under further investigation, and all involved parties will be processed according to the law.
