Chuwit fingers 22 gambling dens - and corrupt cops - in police meeting

Metropolitan Police Commissioner LtGeneral Winai Thongsong yesterday ordered police to investigate the 22 gambling dens or footballbetting franchises that outspoken MP Chuwit Kamolvisit claimed had been operating in Bangkok City with police protection.

Winai also thanked Chuwit for acting as the mirror for police, though he wished Chuwit would talk to him personally so he got clear information to make arrests, and vowed to punish the deninvolving police officers. He said he had ordered his deputies and Metropolitan Police Division 19 chiefs to check on their jurisdiction areas if there were gambling dens and punish any involved cops.

Meanwhile, national police chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong assigned Police InspectorGeneral Pol General Sathaporn Laothong to investigate the allegations about franchise dens and allegations that police generals with initial "Jor" and "Or" backed the dens.

Priewpan also assigned Winai and acting provincial police region 1 chief Khamronwit Thupkrachang to inspect the Greater Bangkok gambling dens and report back to him before Monday.

Winai also had Metropolitan Police Division 1 Commander Police Major General Wichai Sangprapai gather information on the gambling dens from Chuwit at Parliament yesterday. After giving the information to Wichai, Chuwit said he was confident in Priewpan who he hoped would get stricter. Because he was also confident in Wichai, he had given him all the evidence and was ready to offer additional information. Wichai, however, declined to comment whether the Sai Mai superintendent would be transferred over an alleged gambling den that used topless women to entertain gamblers.

Metropolitan Police deputy commander LtGeneral Saroj Phromcharoen, who oversees crime suppression, said the city police would look into Chuwit's claim about the 22 franchise dens as well as the topless gambling den. Saroj himself would also check on the Bang Kapi and Hau Mark areas. Regarding Chuwit's claim that a police general with initials "Jor" and "Or" backed the franchise dens, he said the police were ready to probe.

On Wednesday, Chuwit told a Parliament meeting about the 22 gambling den franchises controlled,he said,by two major networks. The "Sor Sommai" network oversaw eight dens (Bang Kapi Market; Happy Land 1; Lat Phrao 71; Chokchai 4; Talad Number 1 Bang Na; Talad Tai Rangsit Market; Talad Si Mum Muang Market; and Ramkhamhaeng 24). The "Hia Teu Mangkorn Thong" network oversaw 14 gambling dens (Minburi's Lion Building in Soi Lalaisap; Khubon's 8th kilometre marker; Khubon Soi 1; Romklao Housing Estate; near Beung Kum District Office; Soi Paholyothin 52; Payak Housing Estate in Ramkhamhaeng; Soi Lat Phrao 112; Lady Zone Pub in Chokchai 4 Soi 71; Khlong Toei; a place called Phoenix at Navankhon; Bang Phli; Wat Phrayakrai police station's jurisdiction; and a market opposite Major Cineplex Nonthaburi.

Chuwit also said eight other major dens such as Tao Poon, Loy Fa and Bang Na continued to operate and paid Bt2 million a day for police protection, while the franchise dens paid crooked police up to Bt1 million a day.