Authorities in Bangkok have carried out one of the largest gambling raids in recent years, detaining more than 200 people at an underground casino in the Don Muang district. Officials revealed that the venue, which had been operating almost around the clock, was generating more than 500 million baht each month.
Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, currently also serving as acting prime minister, held a press briefing late Wednesday night to announce the results of the operation. He stated that the raid was the culmination of weeks of surveillance after multiple complaints from local residents. Families in the surrounding community reported that the illegal den was fueling addiction, drawing in teenagers, and creating a sense of insecurity in the neighborhood.
According to investigators, the den was open every day from 10 a.m. until 6 a.m. the following morning, closing for only four hours before resuming business. The establishment featured five separate gambling rooms, including high-stakes VIP spaces and a large central hall where dozens of gamblers could play simultaneously. Each room reportedly generated between three and four million baht daily, contributing to the massive monthly turnover.
The police operation was extensive, involving multiple agencies that had been monitoring the site for nearly a month. Officers confirmed that the venue was part of a larger gambling network that had already been the subject of earlier raids, but had continued to reopen despite enforcement efforts.
During the raid, authorities confiscated 17 bank passbooks containing detailed records of the casino’s transactions. The documents revealed consistent monthly cash flows exceeding 500 million baht, underscoring the scale and profitability of the illegal business.
Minister Phumtham emphasized that the government is committed to cracking down on illegal gambling operations, which often link to wider organized crime networks and contribute to social problems. “This case shows how much damage these activities cause to families and communities,” he said. “We will continue to take strong action to prevent such dens from resurfacing.”
The raid is expected to have significant ripple effects across Bangkok’s underground gambling scene. Police are now working to identify the ringleaders who financed and managed the Don Muang operation. While hundreds of gamblers have been detained, authorities stressed that their main focus is on dismantling the financial networks behind the enterprise.
Illegal gambling remains a persistent challenge in Thailand, where strict laws prohibit most forms of betting. Despite repeated crackdowns, underground casinos often resurface, adapting their operations to avoid detection. The scale of the Don Muang den, however, has drawn national attention, highlighting the lucrative nature of the trade and the difficulty of enforcement.
For now, the latest raid marks a major victory for Thai authorities, but questions remain as to how long-lasting the impact will be in curbing illegal gambling in the capital.
