ABOUT 100 Thai commandos stormed a luxurious floating gambling den in the Gulf of Thailand and arrested 58 gamblers, police said today as the Government vowed a broader crackdown on the vessels.
The police commandos tracked down the Ukranian-registered Olvia using helicopters and speed boats after a tip-off to Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's office led to a month-long investigation, they said.
The 58 suspects have been charged with illegal gambling while police seized 10 million baht ($357,700 dollars) in cash and chips worth two billion baht in the raid mounted Thursday.
"We spent one month investigating this case and the arrest operation was quite difficult," Crime Investigation Bureau commander Lieutenant General Wongkot Maneerin said.
The boat, leased by Thai company Panapol Maritime since May this year, had been leaving from Samut Prakan pier just outside Bangkok for weekend jaunts to international waters to escape Thailand's strict gambling laws.
Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha warned other gambling boats they faced similar action.
"There are three to four boats operating as illegal gambling dens. We have to investigate and control such activities," he said.
Casinos are illegal in Thailand, forcing an estimated 500,000 keen gamblers to instead flock annually to ones set up just across its borders in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.
A Chulalongkorn University study released earlier this year found Thais lost up to 518.6 billion baht to underground lotteries, overseas and illegal local casinos, soccer betting and other gambling in 2001.
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The police commandos tracked down the Ukranian-registered Olvia using helicopters and speed boats after a tip-off to Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's office led to a month-long investigation, they said.
The 58 suspects have been charged with illegal gambling while police seized 10 million baht ($357,700 dollars) in cash and chips worth two billion baht in the raid mounted Thursday.
"We spent one month investigating this case and the arrest operation was quite difficult," Crime Investigation Bureau commander Lieutenant General Wongkot Maneerin said.
The boat, leased by Thai company Panapol Maritime since May this year, had been leaving from Samut Prakan pier just outside Bangkok for weekend jaunts to international waters to escape Thailand's strict gambling laws.
Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha warned other gambling boats they faced similar action.
"There are three to four boats operating as illegal gambling dens. We have to investigate and control such activities," he said.
Casinos are illegal in Thailand, forcing an estimated 500,000 keen gamblers to instead flock annually to ones set up just across its borders in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.
A Chulalongkorn University study released earlier this year found Thais lost up to 518.6 billion baht to underground lotteries, overseas and illegal local casinos, soccer betting and other gambling in 2001.
www.news.com.au
