Thai cyber police arrest TikTok influencer over gambling links

Thai cyber police arrested a popular TikTok influencer for posting links to online gambling sites, earning 30,000 baht per month.

Police led by Worawat Watnakornbancha and Sathit Promuthai, along with Adichat Amornpradit, carried out a search warrant at the home of the owner of the Ara Tae page in Khon Kaen. The search revealed 34 year old Phusanisa, known as Ara Tae, residing at Tha Phra, Mueang district, Khon Kaen province. Ara Tae is the girlfriend of a famous singer with 129 million views on his TikTok account.

Upon examining her mobile phone, police found a Facebook application logged into the Ara Tae page. The investigation revealed that her content included links to online gambling sites, which were accessible to a large audience.

“During the UEFA EURO 2024, there was a significant increase in football betting. Our team was vigilant in monitoring and arresting those involved in illegal activities.”

The evidence collected allowed the police to obtain a search warrant for the influencer’s home. The Ara Tae Facebook page had over 450,000 followers, while Ara Tae’s TikTok channel, known for its sexy and humorous content, boasted 1.4 million followers.

Ara Tae is also the girlfriend of a well-known singer. Her content subtly promoted gambling sites by uploading images and videos with embedded links leading to these sites. The investigation revealed that she had been engaging in this activity for some time.

Initially, Ara Tae admitted to creating content with embedded gambling links, earning 1,500 baht per post, resulting in an average monthly income of 20,000 to 30,000 baht.

“My boyfriend warned me about posting gambling links but I ignored him, thinking it wouldn’t affect me and was just extra income. I never thought it would come to this, with cyber police showing up at my door early in the morning.”

The police confiscated Ara Tae’s mobile phone used for creating and posting content. They charged her with advertising or inviting others to engage in gambling activities without official permission, and she was handed over to investigators for further legal action, reported KhaoSod.