Years ago I used to export handicrafts from Thailand. At that time there were many illegal casinos throughout the country and I would imagine they continue to exist today. They are usually protected by corrupted police who are on the take, offering "security." I had been to illegals in Chaing Mai, Chaing Rai, and Pattya. It was always comforting to find a local policeman guarding the door, as if a bouncer. Unfortunately, I was not collecting chips back then and have zero.

One positive aspect about corruption in these countries that I always appreciated. You could payoff one or two authorities and get your problems resolved expeditiously, like right there on the spot. This relieved me of the necessity of having to deal with a buracracy that would have taken too much time and cost more. Of course, at times, you would run into some clown who would take too much advantage of the situation, but for the most part the payoffs were more than fair.