PATTAYA, THAILAND – District officials and police in Banglamung dismantled an illegal cockfighting arena and arrested 22 suspects in a coordinated raid.
Raid on residential arena in Naklua
The operation took place on Monday, 8 December 2025, at 1:36 p.m. in the Naklua subdistrict of Banglamung district in Chonburi province, near the tourist city of Pattaya. Target of the raid was a large corrugated‑iron arena enclosed by wire fencing in the Hua-Tung community (Moo 6), which residents had reported as a venue for illegal cockfights.
Command structure and undercover surveillance
The operation was led by Banglamung District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon, supported by senior district officials Nathawat Sophonsewatson and Thurit Chanchareon. On the police side, Pol Lt Col Suphawat Latphrecha, deputy chief of the Banglamung Police Station suppression unit, and Pol Lt Col Yongyuth Wanno, deputy head of investigations, directed the officers on the ground.
After repeated complaints from nearby residents, authorities first deployed a plainclothes investigator to observe the site. According to the findings, three fights were scheduled with stakes of 11,000 baht per match, involving the pairings “P. Barbecue vs. Mangkorn Phet” for two fights and “P. Barbecue vs. Suwanakorn” for one fight.
Panic escape attempts through fence and water
When the mixed task force arrived in unmarked vehicles, those present appeared to recognize the risk immediately, and chaotic scenes followed as officers entered the arena. Dozens of gamblers tried to flee in panic, with some running straight through the wire fence and sustaining cuts and abrasions, while others escaped into nearby wooded areas or jumped into water to avoid arrest. Despite the turmoil, authorities detained 22 suspects, described as a mix of organizers and bettors.
Evidence seized and pending charges
Officers seized extensive evidence, including four fighting cocks—two pairs that had been in the ring during the raid—the complete arena with cockfighting pit, various accessories and care items used for cockfights, and betting books containing records of wagers. A search of associated vehicles uncovered no additional illegal items, according to the report.
The 22 detainees were taken to Banglamung Police Station and now faced charges related to illegal gambling and to organizing or taking part in unlicensed cockfights. The four birds, the arena structure and all related equipment remained in police custody as evidence.
Strict legal framework and wider crackdown
Under Thailand’s Gambling Act B.E. 2478 (1935), cockfighting was generally strictly prohibited, with participants and organizers facing up to three years in prison, fines of up to 5,000 baht, or both. Exceptions were allowed only for licensed, culturally based events without betting.
Authorities stated that the action in the Hua-Tung community formed part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal gambling venues in and around Pattaya and Banglamung. The raid was one of a series of targeted measures intended to curb unlawful betting activities in residential neighborhoods.