The Royal Thai Police (RTP) will conduct a probe into commanders and their subordinates who allegedly allowed two illegal gambling dens to operate under their watch in Rayong and Chon Buri.
On Wednesday, Inspector-General Office chief, Visanu Prasattongosoth, said that information obtained by the office confirmed that a gambling den in Rayong had been open for at least a month prior to the recent discovery of a woman gambler there having contracted COVID-19.
Pol Gen Prasattongosoth said the den was not an empty warehouse, rejecting the claim by Rayong’s Muang district police chief. Local police initially denied a gambling den existed there.
Rayong Provincial police commander Paphatdet Ketphan has been ordered transferred to the RTP’s Command Centre, which ends his duty as chief of Rayong police.
The Inspector-General Office stepped in to probe an order made by national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk to find out more about the dens.
Gambling venues thought to have spread the virus were also in Chon Buri. One of them was located behind the Nam Chai shop in Bang Lamung district.
Pol Gen Prasattongosoth said a disciplinary probe will be conducted into commanders and their subordinates in the two provinces who allegedly had knowledge of the dens but did nothing to stop them.
In the case of a gambling house on Soi Chaeng Watthana 14 in Bangkok, chief inspectors at the Thung Song Hong police were in the hot seat after facing a transfer to the city police headquarters pending a disciplinary inquiry for allegedly ignoring gambling activities under their jurisdiction.
