UDON THANI — Thai Immigration Police have dismantled an illegal online gambling operation in Udon Thani, arresting two South Korean nationals who were using the northeastern Thai province as their base. The operation generated monthly revenues exceeding 4 billion Korean won (approximately $2.79 million).
Immigration officers in Udon Thani discovered the suspects were operating gambling websites named “Vinus Gaming” and “100d-1” from a rented house in Ban Luem district. Following surveillance and evidence gathering, authorities obtained a search warrant from the Udon Thani District Court and raided the property on January 22.
The raid uncovered two South Korean men working as website administrators, managing backend systems and financial transactions. The operation primarily targeted South Korean customers through Telegram, accepting wagers in Korean won.
Both suspects admitted to working illegally on tourist visas, receiving monthly salaries between 80,000-100,000 baht ($2,360-$2,950). Police seized computers, mobile phones, and hardware tokens as evidence.
The suspects face charges of working without proper permits and operating illegal gambling services. The case highlights Thailand’s ongoing efforts to combat transnational cyber gambling operations using the country as an operational base.
Illegal gambling operations typically concentrate in Thailand’s tourist hubs like Pattaya, Chonburi, and Bangkok. Stricter enforcement has pushed these operations to less monitored areas like Udon Thani. The suspects were charged with illegal employment. Officials are working with the South Korean Embassy on the case.
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