On 5 February, Thai authorities arrested eight Lao nationals and five Thais in a raid on an illegal online gambling operation in Nong Khai Province.
The police initiated the crackdown after detecting a blocked SIM card signal in Chommanee village, Michai subdistrict, believed to be connected to an illegal call center gang.
The operation uncovered an open server used to run online gambling websites, managed by 13 individuals—eight Lao nationals and five Thai nationals. Police seized various items, including the server, routers, CCTV cameras, mobile phones, laptops, and other IT equipment.
An initial investigation revealed that the routers, equipped with both Thai and Lao SIM cards, were used to distribute internet signals.
Two main servers hosted gambling websites operating in both Thailand and Laos.
In Thailand, the FBC189 website generated an estimated THB 2 million (approximately USD 56,000) per month, while in Laos, the UFAR88 website reported a monthly turnover of about THB 1.5 million (approximately USD 42,000).
The server’s owner was not present at the scene. According to Thai media, the owner is originally from Phrae Province but has a registered address in Nonthaburi.
The arrested suspects face charges for organizing illegal gambling and promoting it through electronic media, along with violating immigration laws. They were taken to Nong Khai city police station for legal proceedings, and authorities plan to expand the investigation to locate the server’s owner and other connected networks.