Thai Police Raid South Korean Online Gambling Operation in Pattaya

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture from raid.

 

In a major operation on the morning of December 28, Chonburi police raided a house in Pattaya suspected of operating as a server base for an illegal South Korean online gambling network. The raid, led by Police Major General Thawatkiat Jindakuansanong and Police Colonel Navin Theerawit, followed the issuance of search warrant No. 339/2567 by Pattaya Provincial Court.

 

The target was a two-storey house in a gated community on Chaiyapruek Soi 1, Pattaya, Bang Lamung District. The house was secured with CCTV cameras and appeared to be heavily fortified. Inside, police found 13 South Korean men working in two rooms equipped with over 40 computers. The operation was linked to the website www.myrunking01.com, which offered online gambling services, including baccarat, slots, and sports betting, primarily targeting South Korean gamblers.

 

Each worker had specific responsibilities, including managing user accounts, processing money transfers, and onboarding new customers. The site reportedly had over 20,000 active user accounts but restricted access to Thai nationals.

 

Authorities seized 24 desktop computers, 12 laptops, 28 mobile phones, over 20 South Korean passports, and nearly 40 OTP devices used for transaction alerts. The raid also led to the arrest of 14 individuals: 13 South Korean employees, including one South Korean woman, and a Myanmar man employed as a cleaner.

 

Additional search warrants (Nos. 340/2567 and 341/2567) were executed on two nearby houses believed to serve as staff accommodations. However, suspects had fled before police arrived, leaving behind some incriminating evidence and a safe, which was confiscated for investigation.

 

Police Major General Thawatkiat revealed that the operation was the result of an investigation triggered by unusual activity at the property. The house had been rented for three months, with frequent food deliveries and a high volume of people entering and exiting. The gambling network was estimated to have generated over 120 million baht in just three months.

 

“This operation is part of our effort to crack down on foreign nationals using Thailand as a base for illegal activities, including online gambling and call centre scams,” said Major General Thawatkiat. The authorities plan to cooperate with the South Korean Embassy to further investigate and dismantle such networks.

 

Local residents reported seeing the South Korean tenants for nearly a year but described them as discreet, often travelling by scooter and keeping to specific schedules. One resident noted, “This isn’t surprising; our community has had issues with illegal activities involving foreign nationals before, especially related to call centres and online gambling.”

 

Thai authorities are continuing their investigation and plan to expand the crackdown on similar operations to uphold the government’s policy against illegal foreign enterprises.

 

-- 2024-12-29

 

 

 

[Tailwagsdog]

They're like mushrooms ...

[hotchilli]

On 12/29/2024 at 3:37 AM, Georgealbert said:

Police Major General Thawatkiat revealed that the operation was the result of an investigation triggered by unusual activity at the property. The house had been rented for three months, with frequent food deliveries and a high volume of people entering and exiting. The gambling network was estimated to have generated over 120 million baht in just three months

A good earner, no wonder Thailand government want casino's