BANG SARAY, Thailand – Sattahip police officers, led by Pol. Col. Thanaphon Klinkesorn, Chief of Sattahip Police Station, arrested four women for playing a card game, “Pok Deng,” without legal authorization on October 13.
The arrest occurred after a tip-off from local residents that a group was gambling behind a restaurant near Bang Saray Night Market.
The police confiscated a deck of playing cards, 240 baht in cash, and a piece of cloth used as a mat. The four women, along with the evidence, were taken into custody and brought to Sattahip Police Station.
According to the police, they were informed that a group was engaged in gambling at the reported location. Upon arrival, the officers found the group playing cards for money. The authorities identified themselves and arrested the women on charges of “illegal gambling without a permit,” as stated under the Gambling Act of 1935 (B.E. 2478). The women were informed of their rights and charges before being processed for further legal action.
When questioned, the suspects admitted that they had seen posts on social media claiming that card games were now legal to play publicly. Believing this information to be true, they gathered to play cards without realizing that a legal permit from the district registrar is required for such activities. Consequently, they were unaware that their actions were illegal until the police arrived and arrested them.
