Online Gambling Den Busted in Mae Sai – Myanmar Admin Found Overstaying by Over 200 Days

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

Tourist Police have raided a suspected illegal online gambling operation in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, uncovering two men serving as website administrators, one of whom, a Myanmar national, was found to have overstayed his visa by more than 200 days.

Acting on a tip-off, officers from the Tourist Police Division 2, under orders from Pol. Lt. Gen. Saksira Phueak-am, Commissioner of the Tourist Police, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Ekaphop Intawiwat, Commander of Division 2, executed a court-approved search warrant on a rented house in Mae Sai district on 23 July.

Inside, they apprehended two suspects: Mr. A, 32, a Thai national, and Mr. B, 23, a Myanmar citizen. Both were working as administrators for an online gambling platform, providing customer service to Thai users, troubleshooting and promoting gambling promotions. Investigators reported the operation processed hundreds of thousands of baht daily, with the suspects earning approximately 17,000 baht per month.

Seized at the scene were desktop computers, mobile phones, internet routers, and bank account records linked to the gambling enterprise.

Authorities revealed that the group employed tactics to evade detection by renting small houses in residential areas, maintaining a low profile and relocating every two to three months to avoid surveillance.

Upon further inspection, Mr. B’s passport revealed he had overstayed his visa by over 202 days, resulting in additional immigration charges.

Both suspects now face formal charges of organising illegal gambling and promoting gambling via electronic media without authorisation, under Thailand’s anti-gambling legislation. Mr. B also faces the immigration offence of overstaying a visa.

The suspects and all seized items have been handed over to Mae Sai Police Station for legal proceedings. Police have confirmed that further investigations are underway to trace the wider online gambling network, which is suspected of operating covertly in other locations across the region.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-07-25