Tattooed Thai gangster-turned-movie star arrested on gambling charges

Thai gangster-turned-actor Panya Yimumphai – famous for his role in ‘A Prayer Before Dawn’ – was arrested on gambling charges at a house in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, on Monday.

Thailand’s Cyber Police raided the property after Panya, better known for his gang name Keng Laiprang (“Keng Camouflage”), posted a TikTok clip inviting his followers to gamble on an illegal website.

The police played the clip to the Criminal Court which issued search warrants for three locations in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Chiang Mai to seize evidence related to Keng’s alleged crimes. The search operation started on Sunday.

Keng Laiprang was arrested under suspicion of, “directly or indirectly persuading others to gamble” in violation of Section 12 of the Gambling Act (1935).

Initially, Keng confessed to the accusation. He said that the gambling website hired him to promote and post links to their website on social media, paying him 200,000 baht per month. He said he has been doing the job ever since his recent release from prison.

The gangster admitted that he thinks inciting youngsters to gamble is wrong. He said the reason he took on the illegal job was because he didn’t have enough income despite having several business ventures.

“I want to stop. But if I don’t have enough income, I’ll be tempted to do it again,” he admitted in front of the Cyber Police.

Keng Laiprang has one of the most unforgettable faces in Thailand thanks to tattoos he acquired while serving an eight-year prison sentence for attempted murder and robbery. After he was released in 2011, he became an online star, acquiring millions of followers and endorsing brands along the way.

Then, Keng became known internationally after starring as a gangster in the Muay Thai film ‘A Prayer Before Dawn’ (2017) in which Billy Moore, an English boxer, is imprisoned at Thailand’s most notorious prison. The critically acclaimed film is based on a true story.

From a life of crime to the red carpet, Keng Laiprang was pictured holding his thumbs up at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France in May 2017.

But Keng’s past came back to haunt him once more when he was sentenced to jail again for smuggling Yaba (“crazy drug”) into prison back in 2008. He found himself behind bars again in August 2017.