Gambling is illegal in Thailand. This fact is written in stone so it still surprises some visitors to Thailand when they are interrupted every five minutes whilst quaffing a cool beer by some country bumpkin in a straw hat trying to flog them a lottery ticket. Of course this is the Thai National Lottery - not gambling just a way of eliciting funds for noble causes in Thailand.
Since the military coup a few months ago the powers that be have been pushing to eliminate the multi billion Baht illegal lottery networks. Bit tough you may say but there are other reasons and other results from the gambling crackdown. The organisers of these gambling networks are often into more nefarious activities.
Sattahip police raided a house in Tambon Nong Irun of Baan Ban District. Their target was a Khun Satthawat aged 25 who was thought to be involved in running an illegal lottery scheme. Whilst searching the house and the surrounding land they found an M16 automatic weapon and 630 rounds of ammunition.
Khun Satthawat was charged with illegal gambling and having weapons of war in his possession.
