BANGKOK — Thonglor police arrested seven South Korean nationals and two Thai citizens during a raid on an illegal poker game in the upscale Thonglor district of Bangkok late Friday night.
Acting on a tip from an informant, officers from Thonglor Police Station raided a room on the third floor of the Pentacle 2 Building in Soi Saeng Ngern (Thonglor 25), where they discovered the suspects engaged in an illegal poker game.
During the operation before midnight on March 21, police first detained 34-year-old Weerawat, who was serving as a doorman for the gambling operation. Looking through the door, officers observed foreign and Thai nationals actively participating in a poker game before announcing themselves and conducting the arrests.
Authorities seized substantial evidence from the scene, including two decks of cards, 160 blue poker chips valued at approximately 160,000 baht, 130 orange poker chips worth around 130,000 baht, an “all-in” coin, a ledger recording chip exchanges, multiple mobile phones, and 50,000 baht in cash.
According to police, Weerawat confessed to working as a doorman under the direction of 33-year-old South Korean national Mr. Yongsung, who allegedly organized the gambling operation and handled chip exchanges. A 30-year-old South Korean woman, Ms. Hyuna, reportedly served as the dealer, while the remaining suspects were identified as players.
Mr. Yongsung told investigators that he had secured the location for the illegal poker game and was responsible for exchanging chips for money through PromptPay transfers to Ms. Hyuna’s Bangkok Bank account. He claimed that this was the operation’s first day, with approximately 200,000 baht in circulation.
The two primary suspects, Mr. Yongsung and Ms. Hyuna, have been charged with organizing an illegal gambling operation, while the remaining suspects face charges of participating in illegal gambling. All suspects and evidence have been transferred to Thonglor Police Station for further legal proceedings.
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