VietNamNet Bridge – Betting up to VND5 billion ($240,000) for a game of chess, with several games of failure, the deputy director of the Department of Transport of the southern province of Soc Trang had to entreat help from police.
Soc Trang police on December 23, arrested two officials, Nguyen Thanh Leo, deputy director of the Department of Transport, and Tran Van Tan, director of a state-owned driver training center for investigation of gambling.

The two officials confessed that they played chess with huge bets, from VND1-5 billion ($50,000-$250,000) for a game. Leo lost up to VND22 billion (over $1 million) to Tan.

Leo tried his best to pay Tan VND5 billion. Tan hired gangsters to collect the debt. Gangsters threatened to kill Leo’s family. Leo was frightened and reported the case to police.

On the night of December 22, Leo asked Tan to come to a café to play a game with him. He also told Tan that if he lost one more game he would settle all the debt with him. After Tan agreed, Leo informed the police of the address of the coffee shop. After the two men had been playing for about 20 minutes, the police rushed in to catch in the act, with $2,000 of cash.

The two officials will be held in police custody for two months pending investigation.

Before being appointed as the deputy director of Soc Trang Department of Transport, Leo was the head of the province’s Construction Project Management Board. Leo has recently borrowed a lot of money from many individuals and organizations.

Meanwhile, Tan is known for his collection of luxurious cars and owns many large cafés and eateries in the city.

Le Thanh Quan, deputy secretary of the Soc Trang People’s Committee, said that if the two officials are found guilty, they would be given harsh punishments because all citizens are equal under the law.

Gambling in any forms is illegal under Vietnam’s law except in casinos where only foreigners are allowed in.

Minh Duc