{
  "id": 12816512,
  "title": "Chinese restaurant in Pattaya busted for gambling, 18 arrested",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/chinese-restaurant-in-pattaya-busted-for-gambling-18-arrested",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-08T06:43:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Thaiger",
    "slug": "the-thaiger",
    "url": "https://thethaiger.com/news/pattaya/chinese-restaurant-pattaya-gambling-18-arrested"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pattaya police have arrested 18 gamblers after raiding an illegal \"Tiger Dragon\" card game taking place on the second floor of a Chinese restaurant. The police operation, which occurred on October 7, began when they were tipped off about the restaurant's use as a front for illegal gambling.\n\nUpon arrival, officers found a group of people playing the card game Tiger Dragon on the second floor of the two-story restaurant located in Soi Ko Phai, Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district. The suspects were quickly surrounded and arrested shortly before 10pm. The suspects include 10 men and eight women.\n\nDuring the raid, police seized gambling equipment and 46,980 baht in cash. All 18 suspects confessed to participating in the illegal card game. Among them is a Cambodian woman named Somalee, aged 30, who was charged with organizing gambling without permission.\n\nOne of the arrested gamblers, a market vendor, stated that the gambling operation had only been active for about three days. She claimed that the weak economy and poor business had driven her to try gambling, resulting in her losing over 20,000 baht before deciding to leave. However, police arrived before she could exit the premises.\n\nAll 18 suspects were charged with jointly participating in the illegal gambling game and were handed over to Pattaya City Police Station investigators for further legal proceedings.",
  "summary": "Pattaya police arrested 18 gamblers yesterday, October 7, after raiding an illegal “Tiger Dragon” card game operating on the second floor of a Chinese restaurant in Pattaya. Officers surrounded and searched the two-storey restaurant in Soi Ko Phai, Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, at around 9.49pm after receiving a tip that it was being … The story Chinese restaurant in Pattaya busted…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Thaiger",
        "title": "Chinese ex-bank manager held in Pattaya after 7 years of overstaying",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/chinese-ex-bank-manager-held-in-pattaya-after-7-years-of-overstaying",
        "published": "2026-10-08T09:26:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}