PATTAYA — Thai police have uncovered a major online gambling operation in Pattaya, where South Korean nationals were running a server facility serving over 20,000 users worldwide.
The raid, led by Police Major General Thawatchakiat Jindakhuansanong and Police Colonel Nawin Theerawit, targeted a two-story house in Soi Chaiyapruek 1, Nongprue, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province on December 28.
During the operation, authorities found 13 South Korean men operating more than 40 computers across two rooms in the heavily secured property, which was equipped with comprehensive CCTV coverage. One South Korean female employee and a Burmese housekeeper were also present at the premises.
Investigation revealed the group was operating www.myrunking01.com, an online gambling platform offering various games including baccarat, slots, and sports betting. The operation was sophisticated, with staff assigned to different roles including user management, payment processing, and new customer acquisition. While the platform primarily targeted South Korean gamblers, it accepted players worldwide who could understand Korean, explicitly excluding Thai nationals.
Police seized substantial evidence including 24 desktop computers, 12 laptops, 28 mobile phones, over 20 South Korean passports, and nearly 40 OTP (One-Time Password) devices used for payment notifications.
Additional raids on two other houses in the same village, believed to be staff accommodations, yielded further evidence including a safe, though some suspects had already fled the scene.
According to Police Major General Thawatchakiat, the operation had been running for approximately three months and had processed transactions worth over 120 million baht (5.16 billion won, $3.6 million). The investigation was initiated after locals reported suspicious activities, including unusual foot traffic and frequent food deliveries to the property.
Thai authorities are now coordinating with the South Korean embassy as part of a broader crackdown on foreign-operated illegal gambling and call center scams, in line with government policy.
Local residents reported that the area has seen multiple instances of foreign groups renting properties for illegal gambling and call center operations, though they noted that this particular group had operated quietly for nearly a year, mainly keeping to themselves and using scooters for transportation.
_____________
