Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) S.W.A.T. officers and Territorial Defence Volunteers launched a joint raid, dubbed operation “Prab Sien Nakorn Ping” on Friday night, targeting two illegal gambling dens in downtown Chiang Mai and seizing cash along with baccarat and hi-lo tables.
At around 8pm, special task force units raided a six-story building located within the Chiang Mai Municipality in Muang district of Chiang Mai province. The ground floor had been converted into an unlicensed casino, featuring two large gambling tables used for hi-lo and baccarat, an arcade fish-hunting machine and an undisclosed amount of cash.
Officers raided a second location at a food centre on Sri Ping Muang Road in Muang district, where operators were illegally running ‘Nam Tao Poo Pla’ (gourd-crab-fish) games, locally known as ‘Ma Khok Loke’.
Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee and DOPA’s Deputy Director General Ronnarong Thipsiri are scheduled to inspect the sites personally and oversee the interrogation of suspects.
