PATHUM THANI: Five senior police officers were quickly moved to inactive posts on Friday after soldiers raided a snooker shop fronting for a major gambling den and arrested 118 punters in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district shortly after midnight.
About 30 soldiers, led by Maj Naratti Sakunphet, raided Finixsnooker shop on Hathairat Road in tambon Bung Khamproi around 12.10am. They found a soundproof wall with a locked door behind the snooker tables.
They forced open the door and discovered many people gambling inside a large room behind the wall. Their entry sparked panic with people trying to flee. Some made it out through an exit at the back of the room, but 118 gamblers were rounded up - 60 men and 58 women.
Seized from them were 195,406 baht cash, 17,580 tokens used in slot machines, 9,420 chips used in exchange for cash and 40 VIP cards for gamblers. Gambling equipment was also seized, including high-low dice, slot machines and computers used for online football betting.
Neither the caretaker nor the owner of the gambling venue were found.
Military investigators learned that the snooker shop had been operating as a front for the gambling den for several months. It was run by a man known only as “Hia Tue’’.
The detained punters were to be handed over to Lam Luk Ka police for legal action.
Five very senior police officers at Lam Luk Ka police station were quickly transferred to inactive posts in the wake of the raid.
Pol Maj Gen Surapong Thanomjit, chief of Pathum Thani police, said the Provincial Police Region 1 commander signed the order transferring the five officers to the region 1 operations centre, Thai media reported.
The five were named as Pol Col Arthorn Chinthong, Lam Luk Ka police superintendent; Pol Lt Col Chumphon Pisolkunlapan, deputy superintendent for crime suppression; Pol Lt Col Jomphon Rujiradamrongchai, deputy superintendent for investigation; Pol Lt Col Vicharn Chanthasee, station chief investigator chief; and Pol Lt Col Thanaphon Sukson; station crime suppression chief.
The investigation was continuing.