NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: Twenty-six people, including a tambon chief, were caught gambling on dice games and cockfighting at a den in a forest reserve in Nop Phi Tham district on Tuesday evening, local officials said.
Gamblers fled into the forest as a combined task force of officials from three units barged into the makeshift gambling den in Ban Paklong forest reserve in tambon Krung Ching. Not all made it to freedom.
The gambling operation had reportedly been operating at that location for some time, prompting local villagers to lodge a complaint with provincial governor Chamroen Thippayapongtada.
According to the complaint, the dice gambling and cockfighting activities were run by a local influential figure. Locals blamed the den for an increase in petty crime in the area. They said when gamblers lost their money they turned to criminal ways to find cash to pay their debts.
Mr Chamroen ordered Srivichai forest rangers to work with police at Nop Phi Tham and look into the complaint. The raid was carefully planned and soldiers from Vajirayudh army camp were brought in to assist.
Twenty-one men and five women were detained in the operation; the other gamblers fled into the forest. One of the suspects was reportedly a tambon chief, but he had not been named.
Police seized equipment for hi-lo dice gambling, and 10 fighting cocks. The den also housed a cock fighting ring.
Amphon Sangthong, head of Srivichai Taskforce, said the suspects would be handed over to police at Nop Phi Tham station for legal charges.