The group had only been playing for points rather than money but 32 foreigners were still arrested for gambling, Pattaya police superintendent Colonel Suthat Pumphanmuang told the AFP news agency.
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Luckily for the police they were able to state that according to an ancient law harking back to 1935 of section 8 of the Playing Cards Act, no individual is allowed to have more than 120 cards at any one time in their possession.
All but of one the arrested group of 32 people were freed on a 5,000 baht (€125) bail after spending 12 hours in custody.
WHEN you’re in Thailand, make sure you don’t have too many playing cards or it may cost you.
The chairman of the bridge club has claimed the group weren’t playing for money and have not broken any laws.
More than 40 police, soldiers and local officials disrupted the genteel afternoon session in what they portrayed as a swoop on illegal gambling.
Those arrested included 12 Brits, three Norwegians, three Swedes, two Australians, a German, a Dane, a Canadian, a New Zealander and a Dutch national.
Moreover, desktop computers, decks of cards and a book with results of the games were seized by officers.
On Thursday we spoke with Khunying Chodchoy, the President of the Contract Bridge League of Thailand, who travelled to Pattaya to assist those arrested during the raid.
Thailand has strict anti-gambling laws, with almost all forms of gambling prohibited. The other nationalities were not made public. One woman smiles awkwardly towards the officials, and as someone reads out the scores a voice can be heard telling police: “This is not gambling; this is playing”.
Local media reported that she intended “to educate police” on the rules of bridge.
Video of the raid showed the players looking confused as they sat at tables with cards in their hands.
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The bridge club is a venue popular with elderly foreign players that advertises publicly and meets three times a week above a restaurant.
