Thailand Intensifies its Efforts to Eliminate Illicit Gambling Activities
In a recent series of raids and arrests, Thai authorities have targeted illicit gambling operations, highlighting the widespread nature of this underground market in the country.
Last month, a major operation was carried out against an illegal online gambling platform, Auto888vip.com. This website, reported to handle around THB 20 million ($618,000) per month with approximately 3,000 users monthly, was believed to be the financial center of a large-scale gambling network. During the raid in Khlong Luang, authorities arrested the operation’s treasurer, a 30-year-old man, and seized about THB 28 million ($865,000) in cash and luxury assets, including expensive watches and cars. The seized property, a fully-fledged casino inside a warehouse, was frozen, suggesting that the illegal scheme reinvested its winnings in local real estate.
The June raid in Bang Yai district, Nonthaburi, was not limited to online gambling. The authorities also shut down a land-based illegal gambling hub. The operation offered a variety of games of chance and gambling machines, leading to the arrests of 54 people, including 46 locals and 8 foreigners.
Thailand's Gambling Act of 1935 bans land-based casinos, but illegal physical casinos persist. This ongoing battle against gambling activities that remain illegal except for very limited exceptions like horse racing and the national lottery is part of the authorities' efforts to combat the growing prevalence of illicit operations both online and offline.
The case of a 35-year-old Thai woman who allegedly extorted gambling money from at least nine Buddhist monks is another example of the extent to which illegal gambling has infiltrated Thai society. The woman, accused of seducing the monks and then extorting them for gambling money, spent a staggering $11.9 million on gambling.
As the investigation into the illegal website, Auto888vip.com, continues, it is clear that more people are involved in these networks. The authorities remain committed to combating this widespread underground market, reflecting the challenges posed by these illegal gambling operations to Thai gambling laws.
- The seized property, revelaing a casino-like environment within a warehouse, underscores the deep-rooted casino-culture within the illegal gambling trends in Thailand.
- The ongoing raid against Auto888vip.com and other similar operations is a testament to the general news story revolving around crime and justice, as well as the authorities' efforts to curb the gambling-trends.
- The alarming instance of a woman extorting gambling money from Buddhist monks underscores the pervasive impact of illicit gambling on the society, adding a disturbing twist to the casino-and-gambling in Thailand.
