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Home » News from Thailand » District Chief: 'Persecution of elderly bridge players continues'
District Chief: 'Persecution of elderly bridge players continues'
Chakorn, the district chief who ordered the raid and arrests at the bridge club in Pattaya, said he intends to continue the prosecution of the 32 elderly players. According to him, a judge should decide whether something illegal took place.
The news is a major setback for those involved who were verbally assured by the police that the case would not be taken to court. Although the people involved have received their passports back, this does not yet apply to the deposit.
The District Chief pulls something else out of his hat. In addition to breaking the Playing Cards Act of 1935, which found that there were too many playing cards in the room, alcoholic beverages were also served between 14.00:17 pm and 00:XNUMX pm and no license had been applied for.
In addition, Chakorn is not yet convinced that bridge is not a gambling game. He thinks that if he doesn't follow through on the matter, it may set a precedent for other card games. Therefore, it is best for a judge to decide whether playing bridge in Thailand is illegal or not.
Source: PattayaOne
They really pull out all the stops so as not to lose face. This is Thailand.
Kees,
On the contrary, I think they are doing everything they can to lose face – at least according to Western standards. Instead of handling the case “low profile” (with a small fine if necessary), they do everything they can to blow the case up to the maximum.
But yes, when it comes to card games ... They can better focus on more important things (traffic for example?).
Glad they are continuing.
Especially now that they have also found a much more serious violation.
Every tourist should know that you are not allowed to drink alcohol in restaurants and bars between 2 and 5.
It is only allowed if the owners pay for it. That's for clarity.
Yes, I hope everyone now takes these logical rules to heart.
On to the next experience in Amazing Thailand
What nonsense, a much more serious offense, after 5 hours you can fill yourself up again and possibly get behind the wheel, but not between 2 and 5 (logical rules) They also continue this because they themselves have no idea of the games that are possible with a deck of cards without the use of money.
This is a Thai soap this is world news. Hope it is resolved soon and that they especially know that bridge is not played with money. That will be something if they decide to set up a casino.
Following this with great interest. This should be in the paper.
Hi Kristina,
I have already informed my contact at the NOS, and have now also given them an update.
http://nos.nl/artikel/2084893-ouderen-in-thailand-gearresteerd-om-bridgespelletje.html
It is already news all over the world, especially on the internet, and when the 32 elderly are sentenced it will also be on television.
That will cost Thailand a lot of tourists.
The 32 elderly are not responsible for the number of cards in the room.
Not even for serving alcoholic beverages.
At most, the person who organized the bridge or maybe even the landlord of the room.
But I must say that the man is immortally ridiculous.
He deserves a statue….sorry CARICIDE.
It should be clear that the bridge tournament in Bangkok about which I read something might be better held in another country.
They only do this so that they do not have to return the 5000 baht p / p. Because they have already been distributed and issued. So they keep going until people get fed up and take the loss.
It seems to me highly unlikely that the 5.000 baht per person would have been spent. Thailand also has some legal principles. Since it has been publicized that a bail has been paid, it will also have been booked accordingly. Then the police really don't dare to let it disappear just like that.
Jef, if they do it according to the rules, yes. But do you really think that they have officially registered that money? They have lots of coupon books to choose from. But not official. A few years ago there was a post in Bangkok. That the judge had decided that an American must be released immediately. And that they also had to give back the 50.000 baht. They released him, but kept his passport. And he was able to buy it back for, you guessed it, 50.000 baht. Believe me, they don't lose face if they are foreigners. Then only the money counts.
Card games must bear an official mark, but coupon books would not be registered anywhere… That an American would have paid 50.000 baht to recover the rightful property of the USA… Was it a very stupid American or is it a rather implausible version of his story?
Card games must bear an official mark, but coupon books would not be marked and not registered anywhere… Knowing that a case is pending, one would then obscure that whole series of documents whose existence is guaranteed to be reported to the court by many. One can call the police stupid for more or less good reasons, but there are limits to their overconfidence, certainly under the current regime.
That an American would have paid 50.000 baht to recover the rightful property of the USA… Was it a very stupid American or is it a rather implausible version of his story?
It appears once again that everything prohibited in Thailand is not noticed until one catches the eye because of a trivial matter, and then ends up in the judicial mill....
.
In principle, a good thing if a judge expresses an opinion on it.
Then there is clarity.
If I were a judge in Thailand I think I would solve it like this:
Acquit the suspects of gambling, and impose a fine of 32 x 5000 Baht on the operator of the establishment for not having a liquor license.
The elderly can then decide not to reclaim their 5000 baht, but to use it to deduct the fine for the operator. The fine has then been paid in full.
It may not be a tour de force from a legal point of view, but the police have saved face, there has been a conviction, the elderly have all done a good deed, for an amount where you are not yet allowed to hold a telephone in your car in the Netherlands, a international crisis has been averted, and all lights are green to allow world peace to break out after all.
Yes, let the judge rule.
But I hope you don't become a judge here.
Why are you going to protect the Thai (police) to prevent their loss of face.
Now let's kick her ass.
Maybe they will learn something from this, I hope the rest of those kind of Thai people will learn something from it as well.
And take off the rose-colored glasses.
Why would they contribute to the fine of the operator, who normally fills his pockets. (with too high prices here in Thailand) I really don't understand this.
But my glasses are long gone.
Gr Rob
remains fascinating how we as Western people think “differently”.
think we can put together a very long list of sports that will also go under the heading of gambling.
An example of "BRIDGE over troubled water" sung by Simon and Garfunkel.
If it's not allowed, it's not allowed, dear guys. There are laws for that. And then add alcohol. Well… The judge will indeed decide. Let's hope he's looking a little through the fingers.
Why is it so damn hard in Thailand. Just to say sorry, we made a big mistake and apologize and refund the deposit. And it will be forgotten in no time. Now this ridiculous situation continues to spread around the world. Dragging oneself forward. Very bad for the reputation of Thailand and the legal system.
Boy…. where limiting loss of face cannot lead to. Teasing a tourist and continuing to the bone.
@Eric. As if everyone always does exactly what is and is not allowed in Thailand. The Thai themselves violate the (traffic) (drink) rules en masse every day and no police chief who does anything about it or looks back, but the tourist does not have to fart or there is already a hermandad with the cap in the opposite direction ready to bahtjes to catch.
This is the biggest bullshit and nonsense I've ever heard put together. Doesn't really make sense that the district chief is going on like this. Thailand once again shows its true face with a smile and again that smile appears to mean something completely different.
The saying “Better to be half-turned than completely wrong” certainly does not apply in Thailand. And I don't just mean the persecution of these bridge enthusiasts, which will certainly cause a lot of damage to Thailand from a tourist perspective, but also, for example, the policy regarding chairs and parasols on Thai beaches.
Sure, mister Chakorn Huppeldepup (that's how the dog ran) doesn't want to pay back that 5000 Baht, so he'll come up with something…..so super childish!
Welcome to Thailand? Forget it!
It would be to the police's credit to:
1. Apologize.
2. Return that 5000 Baht.
3. For the unjustified 12 hours, all bridge players are giving a voucher!
In earlier years I was very lucky with Dick Koger while playing scrabble!
We put a table and chairs back a bit and were able to practice our hobby.
If I read all the reports lately, Dick and the undersigned had already been arrested 4 times according to the current rules!!
Gr. Martin
Just as Cees1 already wrote: that money has already been distributed, including tip money. And no civil servant who is going to pay that sum out of his own pocket.
When will you farangs realize it: the only right you have here is to spend as much money as possible in the shortest possible time and get as little as possible in return.
Why don't you dump the wallet contents directly into the collection box at Suvarnabhumi and then return by return plane?
Remember: this is the land of the FREE Thai. Foreigners are only tolerated because of their money, which they leave in TH.
Watch what you do on a birthday. You might break the catering rules.
A friend of mine was stopped and fined under On Nut station because… the officer couldn't see his eyes through that windshield on his helmet….
Just googled and the discussion turns out to be not entirely new and has been going on in England for some time:
Sport or no sport?
Joost Galema in a column in the FD Saturday 3 October 2015, 6:00
A British court must rule on whether bridge is a game or a sport: a matter of status.
Now ask the Thai the same question, it's not that strange in my experience, and they have laws for playing cards and selling drinks, so stick to that.
Still a matter of “farang mai ruu ruang” the Thais will say, Westerners, they don't understand it. They don't bother, what can be done at home should also be possible here in Thailand, but they do say that foreigners must adhere to our laws here (NL).
But I also see bridge as an innocent pleasure and hope that the matter will soon be resolved properly.
How can you say that tourists must obey the laws.
The law books in most countries and cities are so full of the most idiotic, outdated and forgotten laws that it is impossible to get through the day without breaking a handful of laws.
The Thai themselves don't even have a clue what the rules are when it comes to cards.
On Phuket, a senior police officer has said for years in response to questions that the card game was not prohibited, only playing for money.
And that it is even played at the airports, to pass the time.
What should you hold on to as a tourist?
The senior officer's comment can be found on the Phuket Gazette under issues & answers.
It was also on the radio:
Is bridge a game of chance or a sport?
http://radiobox2.omroep.nl
22 September 2015
Redbod, Singleton and renonce. All terms used in bridge. In England, the question is currently being discussed: Is this card game even a sport?
Dear people, this is Thailand. How ridiculous we find everything, for the Thai this is normal. And so we have to put up with it. Thai culture is not Western. You live here, so we just have to adapt. We choose to go here. No one is forcing us to go to Thailand. We, the Dutch, do not want the Thais to interfere with our laws. So, how ridiculous and retarded we find many things in Thailand, we just have to accept it. And if you can't, you have to choose another country. If you stay, don't complain. This is Thailand and that's how it is.
You live here, so we just have to adapt. We choose to go here.”
LOL. Come and tell that in the Netherlands to all those expats from other countries. They laugh right at you. And we have to adapt in every other country?
I'm not afraid to adapt but what happened here in thailand is just ridiculous abuse of power and pushing through a retarded rule of law on the backs of some old people who like cards.
As with entrance fees, people in Thailand measure with double standards. One for the Thai themselves and one for the Farangs… They make themselves immortal ridiculous with this. This should get much more attention in the world. If this would have happened in the Netherlands, the whole of the Netherlands would have fallen over politics. In Thailand everyone is silent and thinks their own way, but does or does nothing because they run a risk if they open their mouths. I'm glad we have freedom of speech.
If I understand correctly, Bingo is also not allowed:
Legal gambling in Thailand is limited to the National Lottery and horse betting on the thoroughbred tracks in Bangkok. All other forms of gambling are strictly prohibited and players caught gambling face financial penalties and even prison sentences.
The piece of legislation prohibiting gambling is the Gambling Act of BE 2478 of 1935. This divides types of gambling into List A and List B games. The List A consist of games that include wagering on animal games that are considered torture, like cock or dogfights and other blood-sports. Some casino games, like Roulette and slot machines are also included on this list. List B is basically everything else, like Bingo, raffles, sports betting and such. Penalties for List A games are considerably higher – they can go up to 5000 Bahts of monetary fines ($140.85) and 3 years in prison*. For List B games, like sports betting, the maximum punishment is 1000 Baht ($28.17) and a prison sentence of 1 year.
You've been warned!
In fact, people in Thailand don't think it's that important what happens outside their beloved homeland. You only have to watch the news to see that over 90% of it is about Thailand. This attitude is also reflected in the usually extremely low level of command of, for example, English. It's all about Thailand. Anything beyond that is not important. So it is quite understandable that something as strange as playing bridge should arouse suspicion. After all, what's the point of playing cards if you can't make any money with it?
No longer allowed to shower due to water shortage, no longer allowed to play cards due to pickpocketing and no longer allowed to lie on your beach bed….
What's next…!?
The result: fewer tourists who want to come to Thailand for a longer period of time.
That it will go to court is only to not have to return that 5000 Bath pp.
A bit off topic but worth mentioning. There is also a law here in Thailand that you are not allowed to drive a car bare-chested. Card play is also prohibited. Here's what I've experienced with crazy laws. Detained for 1 night in Venezuela because I had taken off my shirt, walking in shorts was also prohibited. In America you are not allowed to drive a car without wearing shoes and so on, too many to mention. Best wishes to the card players but I think they will be sentenced to a fine. The law has been broken. period.
The Thais gamble on everything in my experience. When I go to Muay Thai boxing there is public gambling everywhere, and it has been done by the same people for many years. No problem because they are Thai. But it is of course too crazy for words that for a bunch of bridge players without any financial interest, a judge has to be involved. Many friends have already left Thailand, and I am afraid that unfortunately many more will follow with these absurd measures. Our right is not much more than the kitchen sink in Thailand, and the embassy needs to do something about this together with the EU ambassadors, which I insisted on earlier.
Yes Colin, playing a game for fun doesn't interest the Thais. The game is always played for a stake, which can be a drink, as is often the case with the game '4 in a row', or Thai Baths. Thais who play Pool or Snooker among themselves always do so for money, which is often openly on the billiard table. I do not know whether the Dutch association in Pattaya still organizes hamlet tournaments, but the organizer and participants have run the same risk of being arrested as the bridge players currently do. Gambling in Muay Thai boxing involves a lot of money and is an experience in itself. It seems to be the most normal thing in the world; of course the authorities know about this, but banning it, let alone prosecuting it, is unthinkable in Thailand.
Since bail was paid, the judicial mill is inexorably turned. The police can't reverse that bail. But the public prosecutor aka attorney could probably decide not to prosecute, in which case the bail would have to be returned. Indeed, he probably will not dare to make such an ostentatious decision on his own, since in this case she is followed with great attention. Also because several alleged and open to discussion 'offences' have been established by the police. So only a lawsuit can be awaited. Hopefully a judge will be able to motivate a verdict so that the card players get their bail back. Because none of the accusations that can actually be proven (such as the sale of alcohol, the use of unauthorized cards, the number of playing cards irrelevant to the reason for the existence of a restriction in this case) deserve an effective punishment. In such cases, even with a conviction in principle, a first offense should at most be followed by a suspended sentence.
Moreover…. Isn't it a judge who has to set a bail amount and not the police?
You must of course comply with Thai law at all times
As weird as they are. I think that's what the old folks did.
Cards are allowed as long as they are not played for money. And it was not played for money
That should soon become clear. If at that moment the action had been called off
With a sorry people we have received a tip that there is gambling here, go through nothing
the hand. Had there been no loss of face.
But the dumbasses persevered not knowing that there would be so much fuss about it.
They will want to prove themselves right at all costs. What they are not going to get, it is no longer possible
about gambling. All kinds of nonsense too many cards drink between 2 and 5 things that those old people have nothing to do with. The whole thing hangs together in stupidity.
You would think that before you thunder into a place with 50 strong people, a thorough investigation would take place. No, they do that afterwards.
Where the confidence in the judiciary of some rulers comes from is a mystery to me. The Judge who is going to handle the case has already had his instructions and if he really does not apologize, then they are a joker. He's going to judge them for some stupidity
And thus puts itself on the list of the most ridiculous countries in the World at number 2. Or perhaps a shared first place with India. A goat is in prison there because he ate the plants from his garden in the neighbor's house. That happened to be a judge.
Find out where he got his education
.