At around 3.30pm yesterday (May 21), Col Sompong Thipapakul, Lt Col Amnuay Kraiwutanan, Lt Col Prasan Thoworn, and Capt Suchart Leucha of the Thalang Police arrived at a home in the Para village in Pa Khlok, Thalang to find about thirty loud and cheering participants watching a cockfight in the garden of the property.
All attempted to flee when police arrived.
Thalang Police reported to The Phuket News that of the thirty people, fifteen were apprehended while the others disappeared into the surrounding area.
The 15 arrested gamblers varied in ages from 19 to 54 years old with 10 of those arrested being from Phuket, one came from Pattani, one from Chiang Rai, one from Loei, one from Sri Saket and another from Myanmar.
It was reported that there were nine cocks waiting to fight and B300 gambling money was found in the area.
Cockfighting equipment, such as a timer and cages were also seized.
Officers confirmed that have made preliminary charges of illegal gambling and holding gambling assets without permission, and those found guilty will face legal prosecution.
Cockfighting is not illegal in Thailand, however gambling on on the activity is.