BURIRAM, THAILAND – A viral mobile phone video of alleged gambling at a village New Year party drew the attention of police and local authorities in Buriram province.
Facebook clip from village celebration spreads
A woman had posted the clip on Facebook, describing how gambling had been taking place since the morning in Ban Jok Tieo, Village 13 of Hai Sok subdistrict in Phutthaisong district. She named the game “ไฟแคลง” and the dice game Hilo, and wrote that the rounds had started “from ten o’clock in the morning.” According to her account, the party took place near a local protective shrine, and access roads were so tightly parked with visitors’ vehicles that the holy site was barely visible.
Allegations of regular betting and calls to intervene
The woman further claimed there were daily betting activities and cash collections. She called on the village head and the local administrative organization to intervene and move the gambling location. Her public post triggered an online debate and increased pressure on local officials to clarify what had happened.
Village headwoman confirms New Year event
Nangfa Ajchara Chamnan-sing, headwoman of Village 13 in Ban Jok Tieo, confirmed to local media that the footage was genuine and had been recorded during the New Year festival. She said she had not been present at the time of the celebration and understood that the video came from a villager married to a foreigner who had returned home for the holiday period.
“The celebration did take place; it was held for the New Year festival,”
said Nangfa Ajchara Chamnan-sing, village headwoman. She added that the clip was only published weeks later, a delay that caused additional irritation in the community.
Host acknowledges multiple gambling games
The owner of the house where the party was held said several game rounds had run in parallel that evening. He said the background was the shared wish of villagers to celebrate the turn of the year and “play until the countdown.” He confirmed that the woman who filmed the video had also taken part in the games and stated,
“We do not know why she posted the clip online now of all times,”
said the host, who did not provide further details on stakes or winnings.
Police see clear evidence of gambling
Police chief P. o. Noppadon Thuntawisiansak, head of Phutthaisong police station, said his assessment of the material was unambiguous. He stated that the images showed actual gambling because cash was clearly visible on the Hilo board.
“We will analyze the footage. If we can identify the participants beyond doubt, we will prosecute them under the applicable laws,”
said P. o. Noppadon Thuntawisiansak, police chief. The investigation focused on identifying both participants and organizers of the game rounds, and at the time of reporting there was no information on specific charges or arrests.
Local authorities face mounting pressure
With the public post and suggestions that such events might be recurring, local authorities came under increased scrutiny. The village administration was expected to clarify the situation on the ground, the subdistrict administrative organization was obliged to respond to complaints, and police were examining possible violations of gambling laws. The village headwoman also urged residents to report similar incidents directly to the competent authorities so they could respond promptly.