Thai man and 9 foreigners arrested during Chon Buri gambling den raid
Immigration Bureau officers raided an illegal gambling den at a luxury housing estate in Chon Buri on Saturday, December 10, arresting 10 suspects, including one Thai national and nine foreigners.
The raid followed information obtained from a Chinese man identified as Dahua, who had previously been arrested for illegally selling laughing gas, or nitrous oxide. Dahua reportedly sold the substance in China before fleeing to Thailand to evade arrest.
During questioning, police examined Dahua’s mobile phone and found images showing him participating in gambling activities in Thailand. He later confessed that the illegal gambling operation was based in Chon Buri and frequently changed locations on a weekly basis. According to Dahua, gamblers were informed of each new location through social media platforms.
Officers carried out further surveillance and used a drone to observe the suspected house. The footage revealed multiple security cameras installed around the property and more than 10 foreign nationals inside.
Police subsequently raided the luxury house and found a group of foreigners engaged in a poker game. Gambling chips and cash were seized at the scene.
Authorities said several suspects attempted to flee when officers entered the property, causing chaos during the operation. A total of 10 people were arrested, comprising one Thai national, two Finnish nationals, two Danish nationals, three British nationals, one German national, and one Chinese national.
Police identified the Thai suspect as Charn, who reportedly admitted to operating the gambling den. All suspects were charged under Thailand’s Gambling Act, while one of the British nationals was additionally charged with overstaying his visa.
Similar crackdowns have been reported in recent years. In December last year, police arrested 10 foreigners at a poker game on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province. Those suspects included six Russians, one Romanian, one Israeli, one German, and one British national.
In another high-profile case in August last year, police arrested a notorious gambling den operator, Amnuay Kiatdonmueang, also known as Pa Nuay Don Mueang, in Ayutthaya.
His illegal gambling operations in Bangkok’s Don Mueang area had reportedly been raided and shut down more than 20 times before he was finally captured while hiding in Ayutthaya.
