Bkk Post -Burma imprisons 22 Thai g

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Subject: Bkk Post -Burma imprisons 22 Thai gamblers

Bangkok Post - Oct 25, 1999.
THAI-BURMESE RELATIONS / CASINO ARRESTS

Burma imprisons 22 Thai gamblers
Local authorities not helping, say relatives

Bangkok Post and AFP

Burmese troops yesterday put 22 Thais and nine others holding dual
citizenship in jail at Kawthaung after detaining them at a casino for two
days, but have yet to officially charge them.

Relatives watched in despair from Ranong's Kra Buri district opposite
Kawthaung as the 31 men, arrested in Ban Laem Prai last Friday, were taken
to prison in two motor boats.

Fearing they could face harsh penalties, the relatives alleged local
authorities were indifferent about the plight of the detainees and cared
only about helping influential figures.

The officials reportedly helped negotiate for the release of 44 Thai
gamblers from the same arrest, many of them local politicians, police
officers and civil servants.

The relatives said Prawat Ongsomwang, the casino operator, who earlier
assured that gambling there was safe, had denied responsibility.

Only yesterday Mr Prawat, the brother of a Ranong provincial councillor,
pledged help on the condition that the relatives must not talk to the press,
they said.

A source said the gamblers who were released earlier had paid 10,000 baht
each to Burmese soldiers for their freedom.

About 30 relatives who took long-tailed boats from Ranong to visit the
gamblers at Kawthaung prison yesterday reportedly had to pay 500 baht each
to Burmese patrol soldiers and another 500 baht to prison officials.

Ranong Governor Thawat Hantra said the Burmese troops who arrested the Thais
were not local authorities, but were sent from Rangoon. He was seeking
Burmese co-operation to identify the 31 people and declare the charges.

Mr Thawat earlier said the gamblers would be charged with illegal entry,
which carries a jail term of three years and a fine of up to US$1,000.

Santi Kananurak, the Kra Buri district chief, said bilateral relations at
the local level remained good even after Burma closed its border, and
cross-border activities continued as usual.

Mr Santi did not know, however, why Burma had to arrest the Thai gamblers
since the casino has been in operation for so long.

The source said the deportation of no fewer than 300 illegal Burmese workers
a day by Ranong authorities had angered Burma as they considered those
labourers unwanted.

Gen Kitti Rattanachaya, a former Fourth Army Region commander campaigning
for New Aspiration Party in Ranong, said Thailand should ban visitors to
Burma's Koh Son to gamble at the Andaman Club, a big casino and hotel owned
by a Thai businessman, if Burma refused to re-open its border.

Burma yesterday denied the arrest of the 31 gamblers was related to the Oct
1 attack on its embassy in Bangkok, which has heightened tensions between
the neighbouring countries.

"They were arrested for breaching the gambling act and appropriate legal
action shall be taken against all those involved irrespective of
nationality," a faxed government statement said. Tension between the two
countries has escalated following the seizure of the embassy earlier this
month by five armed dissident students opposed to Burma's military regime.
Burma has closed border checkpoints with Thailand and suspended fishing
rights in its waters for Thai trawlers.

Army chief Surayud Chulanont said Ranong authorities and policemen should
see to it that Thai visitors to Burma via their province have border passes
if they were local residents, and passports and visas if they were from
elsewhere in the country.

Gen Surayud, who left Bangkok yesterday for a 12-day visit to Australia and
New Zealand, suspected the gamblers might have entered Burma illegally for
illegal gambling as the casino where they were arrested was just a makeshift
one and was not legally registered.

Noppadol Pattama, the foreign minister's secretary, meanwhile said the
government would help secure freedom for the arrested Thai gamblers if they
had legally crossed the border into Burma. "But it would be another story if
they entered that country illegally and violated the law there," hesaid.

Meanwhile, the police chief of Chiang Rai yesterday strongly warned Thai
people against sneaking across the border to gamble at casinos in Burma. Pol
Maj-Gen Seri Sukphet said the situation in Tachilek opposite Mae Sai
district was still tense. Although a casino run by Thai businessmen in
Tachilek has been closed, smaller ones were still in operation.

A customs officer at Chiang Saen said a casino opened two months ago in the
Golden Triangle opposite this border district.

Despite the border closure, Thai gamblers still managed to sneak across
ostensibly for sightseeing tours on the Mekong river.