Visit to an illegal 'casino'
Gambling in Thailand strictly forbidden? Forget it! The owner of a gambling den only has to 'support' the police strongly and then nothing will matter. This is evident from a visit that Hans Bos paid to an illegal 'casino' in a suburb of Bangkok. Police cost per day: THB 66.000.
It shouldn't actually bear the name 'casino'. In this case it is a former restaurant in one of the many suburbs of Bangkok. From the outside it looks like a dilapidated workshop. I am accompanying an acquaintance who works there. Only her presence and some administrative activities yield 2000 THB per day, excluding 500 THB for transport costs. Gambling customers will be reimbursed THB 300 for transportation, in addition to free food and non-alcoholic beverages.
The ambiance is very disappointing. In a hollow space of ten by ten meters are two gambling tables. One has 12 numbers with the same number of players, the other is larger and intended for 16 gamblers, who play with cards. It is remarkable that 99 percent of the audience consists of women and a few free-roaming children. In total there are about 50 women and girls. The men here are employed and basically just serve to better regulate the gambling. They sit on high chairs and put the money on the tables with nets on long handles for the ladies who do not fit around the tables. In one corner is a large screen TV that displays the images from the various cameras on the ceiling. The room is air-conditioned, but has no windows. I don't think it's appropriate to take pictures in this area.
The rules of 'pok deng' are not entirely clear to me, except that a certain combination of two cards results in a doubling of the bet. The notes of 500 and 1000 THB fly over the table. The players look strange when a farang shows up inside his face, but I see smiles everywhere. Maybe I'll bring them luck. At least I get coffee and donuts…
The owner is open about the state of affairs. Every day he pays a lady 66.000 THB. That is 60.000 for one table and 6000 for the second one. The lady in question is the wife of a minister and arranges the payment to the police. However, not all costs are listed yet. In total, the operator spends about THB 150.000 per day on staff, food, drinks and the transport costs of the customers. With 300 to 500 customers every day, he still has a lot to do. Whoever wins, puts a substantial amount in the tip jar. Because that brings happiness again. Black clothing is out of the question, because it causes loss…
Because many gamblers run out of money within a short time, it is possible to borrow on the spot. Of course at a high interest rate. When I ask if it's not a problem that debtors don't show up, the manager has a hearty laugh. "Do not worry. They come back every day with new money,” he says. But that does not yet describe the whole course of events, because there are also sellers of women's clothing walking around and even a woman who brings diamond rings to the woman. You can pay it off with 1000 THB per day. No problem, because the buyer comes back every day anyway. After all, gambling is an addiction. And if the gambler loses, she simply buys the ring back, but for less. Of course.
Gambling by any means (except the state lottery) is still banned in Thailand (fortunately not in Burma and Cambodia).
A while ago, the police once tried to raid a condo where gambling was taking place. But in no time so many "neighborhood residents" had gathered that the 10 officers just left again. A real police force had to be involved to get into the condo.
Of course, borrowing money from an illegal casino remains a risky business if you don't have the money to pay it back. Those guys seem like nice guys, but don't make fun of them or anything.
Good story Hans. Too bad you couldn't take pictures. The fascination for gambling must also have to do with the 'Chinese' blood that flows through the veins. Superstitions and everything with numbers idem ditto.
It is also striking that they are mainly women. Maybe boredom? There may also be Thai women who receive a monthly sponsor contribution, the farang immediately knows what happens to his well-intentioned money 😉
The same thing happens in the Netherlands, where many Thais are addicted to gambling and many, especially Thai women, live off profiteering and tour with their increasingly beautiful cars throughout the Netherlands, especially the Randstad, and I should know because I have seen it very closely. experienced. There must be a gigantic network of undeclared lending in the Netherlands, that is inevitable. Yes, only gambling here is not done black but officially in the name of our queen: yes, the Holland Casino.