Thailand: 21 arrested at illegal casino in Pattaya
Authorities are stepping up efforts to clamp down on gambling, which is illegal in Thailand.
Thailand.- Police in Thailand have arrested 21 people in an operation to shut down an illegal casino at the popular coastal destination Pattaya, southeast of the capital Bangkok.
A police investigation had identified casino operations running from an apartment in a condominium on Jomtien Beach.
Five Thai nationals were held along with 16 foreigners (14 Chinese nationals, a Singaporean and a Cambodian).
Five of the Chinese nationals had overstayed their visas and the Cambodian had entered Thailand illegally, police said.
Casino gambling is illegal in Thailand. Thai nationals are traditionally regarded as an important target market for casinos in neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, such as Cambodia.
It has been estimated that if casino gambling were legalised in Thailand it could bring in the country annual tax revenues of over THB100bn (US$2.8bn).
