Thread: Phuket: Foreigners Arrested for Playing Poker

phuket news: 300,000 protesters to confront Thai government, Frenchmen arrested ...
Sunday, April 5, 2009

Frenchmen arrested for poker playing

PATONG, PHUKET: Fifteen foreigners, mostly Frenchmen, were arrested in Patong early yesterday morning for playing poker in a small gambling den clandestinely set up behind a beer bar.

Acting on a tipoff, Kathu Police Inspector for Investigations Sakol Bunditsak at 3:30am led a special investigation unit on a successful raid of the Top Relax bar, located at 2/1 Phang Muang Road.

Of the 15 people arrested, most were French nationals playing poker for stakes reportedly “in the millions of baht”.

However, only 9,500 baht in cash was seized as evidence, along with decks of cards, poker chips and other gambling-related items.

Two Thai women identified as mia farang (wife of a Caucasian foreigner) were also arrested.

One of the two women reportedly ran the mini-casino, set up in a small room equipped with closed circuit television cameras for security.

The games were reportedly held on Saturday and Sunday nights by the Frenchmen, who were described as businessmen.

One Portuguese national was also taken into custody.

In a typical month, charges related to gambling lead all other categories of crime except illegal drug use, according to statistics released by the Phuket Provincial Police.

In February this year, there were 65 gambling cases, a 20% increase year-on-year, with 249 people arrested for the offenses.

The vast majority of arrests for gambling usually involve Thai nationals, and reports of foreigners being arrested in such high-stakes games are very uncommon.

– Siangtai Daily

Som nam na.

surely they have something better to do with their time.... the coppers that is.

Originally Posted by HorseDoctor

In February this year, there were 65 gambling cases, a 20% increase year-on-year, with 249 people arrested for the offenses.

– Siangtai Daily

The cops are definitely getting hungrier, its an unwritten ? rule that during the three days after a death they locals can play cards openly, not now they are coming around and fining them during this period.

This is a bunch of village folk, playing for 5 bt a time in their own houses, almost their only pleasure in life, aprt from Lao Kao, and screwing the mia noi that is.
And the fvcking mean, crooked bunch of what are called police here, bust them.

I wonder who lost big the week before!!

Two Thai women identified as mia farang (wife of a Caucasian foreigner) were also arrested.

So many parts of this article are humerous and amusing. I like this line:

Originally Posted by HorseDoctor

In a typical month, charges related to gambling lead all other categories of crime except illegal drug use, according to statistics released by the Phuket Provincial Police.

I guess they've eradicated all illegal prostitution, murder, drug use / buying & selling, drunk driving, hit and runs........

Originally Posted by HorseDoctor

Of the 15 people arrested, most were French nationals playing poker for stakes reportedly “in the millions of baht”. However, only 9,500 baht in cash was seized

Originally Posted by kingwilly

surely they have something better to do with their time.... the coppers that is.

Foreigners, acting illegally with millions of baht... the Thai coppers must of went in there with hard-ons.

Originally Posted by HorseDoctor

Of the 15 people arrested, most were French nationals playing poker for stakes reportedly “in the millions of baht”. However, only 9,500 baht in cash was seized as evidence, along with decks of cards, poker chips and other gambling-related items.

"Millions of baht"?

Yeah right, more likely there were just high denomination chips in the haul - Someone should tell the cops that you can't actually use them as currency....

Originally Posted by HorseDoctor

phuket news: 300,000 protesters to confront Thai government, Frenchmen arrested ...
Sunday, April 5, 2009

Frenchmen arrested for poker playing

PATONG, PHUKET: Fifteen foreigners, mostly Frenchmen, were arrested in Patong early yesterday morning for playing poker in a small gambling den clandestinely set up behind a beer bar.

Acting on a tipoff, Kathu Police Inspector for Investigations Sakol Bunditsak at 3:30am led a special investigation unit on a successful raid of the Top Relax bar, located at 2/1 Phang Muang Road.

Of the 15 people arrested, most were French nationals playing poker for stakes reportedly “in the millions of baht”.

However, only 9,500 baht in cash was seized as evidence, along with decks of cards, poker chips and other gambling-related items.

Two Thai women identified as mia farang (wife of a Caucasian foreigner) were also arrested.

Thank you Gazette for pointing this out -how can anyone claim the use of
" farang" is not a racist in nature?

It's just like wop, chink or spic ...

^No it's not.

Well Mia Farang is imho a derogatory term. My girlfriend & friends usually shush me down when I use the word in a joking manner.
"Mai dee" "Shouldn't use that word" "It's not polite" ... etc.
And she's very conscious of not looking like a Mia Farang. The word itself is harmless ofc, but Thais are very conscious about looks & face, and they have a clear image of the term, and it's certainly not a positive one.

Originally Posted by English Noodles

^No it's not.

Wrong again, Noodles. Ask any Thai what it means, it's not just a term for foreigner -they ain't calling Japanese " Farang" they ain't calling Simon Burrowes " Farang" it means white skin.. slang- used in a bigoted manner- for Caucasian....

^ It means westerner. You can be black, brown or yellow and still be farang.

^What crap.

Anyways, the use of the word farang, gook, coolie, coon, nigger etc. reflects on the intelligence and education of the user. Unfortunately there's no way to instill education and/or intelligence in a large part of the world's population. No point in breaking your stride for those that suffer from evolutionary retardation. If you do, you'll spend your life living down to the lowest common denominator.

^ Well whatever.

Anyway farang is not equivalent to gook, coolie, nigger or whatever. Its a fairly nuetral word whose stereotype has positive and negative attributes.

Its not great, but why kid yourself that it is that big a deal.

If it was so offensive Thais would not use it in your presence, they would only use it behind your back. There are plenty of better things to work yourself into a lather about, if you choose to do it over this non-issue then it reflects badly on your intelligence and powers of perception.



BTW some of you may have heard this joke, based on the stereotype that farangs don't understand thai.

A farang is on the back of a motorcycle taxi at a traffic light, another motorsi pulls up alongside, and asks the first motorsi guy:

bpai nai

the other guy answers: bpai song maa mun noi

when they reach their destination, the farang refuses to pay. The motorsi guy demands to know why and the farang says:

maa chai ngern mai bpen

You can just see Insp Clouseau on the crime scene Rien ne va plus You've had your chips or even freedom fries mesdames messieurs Cum quietly messieurs They obviously forgot to "colloborate' with the BIB in advance! I bet someone "doubled up " A case of Sexpat Hold 'em where the flop came with a twist! This is waht happens when you forget to grease the Ace of Spades

File: Thais are idiots

Hello all,

I am from france, i am new on this forum, i come for speak about this article posted in phuket gazette, because they lied to much. (sorry if my english not perfect)

Here what happened. About 28 friends living or staying in holidays in patong decided to play a tournament of poker. They played in a business of half massage and for playing squash.

Of the 15 people arrested, most were French nationals playing poker for stakes reportedly “in the millions of baht”.

They played 2500 baths for each...

However, only 9,500 baht in cash was seized as evidence, along with decks of cards, poker chips and other gambling-related items.

Police not found any money, and decided to take money in the business for take,pictures.

The games were reportedly held on Saturday and Sunday nights by the Frenchmen, who were described as businessmen.

This was the first time they played.


Finally, they stayed one night in police station, get to the court and payed 1200 baths for each.
When they come back in patong, police ask them 3000 more for take back passport.