Police raid Chinese gambling den flouting Covid-19 curfew in Thailand

Police raid Chinese gambling den flouting Covid-19 curfew in Thailand

An illegal Chinese gambling den was raided by Thai police where nearly a dozen people were found breaking the coronavirus curfew.

The group were playing solitaire and poker in a illegal casino hidden on top of a Chinese restaurant in Pattaya, on the east coast of the country.

Pattaya police chief Khemmarin Pissamai said they received a tip that an illegal gathering is taking place at the VIP area of the restaurant's second floor during the curfew period.

Police raided the property on Thursday night and found a decorated VIP karaoke room with people gambling inside.

Seven Chinese men, two Thai women, and one Russian woman were found playing card games on a custom table were arrested.

The owner of the restaurant named Beijing Helongjiang, 50, was arrested.

Officers also recovered gambling stakes worth 100,000 baht.

Police Colonel Khemarin Pitsamai, who lead the raid, said: ''All of those who were caught will be sent for Covid-19 testing.

They lack social conscience to follow the rules while Thailand is under a state of emergency because of Covid-19.

The government has campaigned and worked hard to make people follow social distancing rules.

Instead, this group opened a gambling den without fear of the law.'' Thailand issued an Emergency Decree which enforced an overnight curfew between 10PM to 4AM to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Violators of the Emergency Decree are fined of up to 100,000 baht and may be jailed for up to two years.