Phuket Prawn-Fish gamblers arrested
Phuket Prawn-Fish gamblers arrested
PHUKET: Police from Phuket Town and the Provincial Investigations Division swooped on a group of gamblers in a “jungle casino” last week, after being tipped off by an informant.
Led by Phuket Town Investigations Division inspector Pol Lt Col Prawit Engchuan, they surrounded the wooded site off Soi Kingkaew in Rassada, where they found punters absorbed in playing Goong-Pla (Prawn-Fish), a Thai game of chance involving a mat with images of prawns, fish, crabs and flowers – on which bets are placed using markers.
Seized as evidence were the mat, markers, a dark blue pen, a notebook used to keep track of moves, a plate and cover, 1,400 baht in cash and a table.
Thirteen people, ranging in age from 24 to 66, were arrested and taken to Phuket Town station for booking.
All confessed to charges of “gambling for property without permission”. Police said a number of others escaped into the brush. The game’s organiser was not identified, nor was it reported how long the jungle casino had been operating.
Goong-Pla is the most popular local gambling game. Jungle casinos have sprung up in the past decade after police carried out continuous crackdowns on casinos with fixed premises.
