Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Thursday backtracked on his earlier remarks that he believed there were no illegal gambling dens in Bangkok.
Gen Prawit corrected himself after being ridiculed in the media and by the public.
"I didn't mean that gambling dens do not exist," he said. "We all know that there are gambling dens but it is the duty of police to eradicate these illicit activities."
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday set up a panel to probe illegal gambling venues and police yesterday announced the arrest of dozens of people linked to such dens in Bangkok. The Deputy Bangkok police chief said 81 gamblers and 13 gambling hosts had been arrested in Chaeng Watthana.
The gambling hosts were each jailed for seven months and fined 15,000 baht, while the gamblers were sentenced to 15 days in jail and fined 15,000 baht.
Police also said that police had arrested one man at a house in Don Muang that was used as a gambling den. He has been charged with organising gambling activities and employing illegal migrant workers.
Another gambling den in the Pin Klao area was searched by police. It was exposed after two workers visiting Kanchanaburi tested positive for Covid-19 and told health officials they had been working at a gambling den in Pin Klao.
Police would not say how many gambling dens were still open in Bangkok, calling it classified information.
