A bridge too far? 32 foreigners arrested as Thai army raids cards club

32 foreign bridge players have been arrested after police and the army stormed their club as part of a gambling crackdown in Thailand. Officials raided the three times a week gathering in Pattaya, a resort town known for seedy go-go bars and organised crime links, after the country’s anti-corruption centre received a complaint from a member of the public. Photos showed members sipping water and beers held in plastic coolers moments before stern officials dressed in military uniform shut down the game in a rented apartment above a bar. Even though the club’s chairman explained the group were playing for points rather than money, the foreigners were arrested for gambling.

There were 32 people, all of them foreigners arrested for gambling on Wednesday night.

Pattaya police superintendent Colonel Suthat Pumphanmuang

Pattaya police superintendent Colonel Suthat Pumphanmuang said that all but one of those arrested were freed on a 5,000 baht bail after 12 hours in custody. The final person was unable to pay bail and remains in jail. Police said those arrested included 12 British nationals, three Norwegians, three Swedes, two Australians, a German, a Dane, a Canadian, a New Zealander and a Dutch and Irish national. The other nationalities were not made public. A British Embassy spokesman said officials were in contact with local authorities “following the arrest of several British nationals”. The Pattaya One newspaper reported the group were arrested under an obscure section of the 1935 Playing Cards Act, which states that an individual is not allowed to possess more than 120 playing cards at any one time.