Authorities in Thailand have arrested a suspected kingpin behind a major transnational online gambling network, as enforcement efforts against fraud and illicit gaming operations continue to intensify across the region.
The 32-year-old Chinese national, identified as Pei Min Si, was detained on April 9 during a dawn raid at a private pool villa in Pattaya’s Bang Lamung district. The operation was conducted jointly by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), its Special Operations Division and the Immigration Bureau, following intelligence shared by the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok.
According to investigators, Pei is believed to have operated more than 239 online gambling platforms, serving around 330,000 users across 31 Chinese provinces. Authorities estimate the network generated illegal turnover of approximately CNY2.78 billion ($407.1 million), equivalent to roughly THB13.18 billion ($409.8 million), with profits of at least THB2.4 billion ($74.6 million).
The case has also highlighted links between the network and criminal syndicates associated with Shwe Kokko, a development on the Myanmar-Thailand border that has long been tied to grey market gambling and scam operations.
Thai police said the suspect attempted to evade detection by using multiple identities. After leaving Thailand in 2024 on a Chinese passport, he re-entered the country in 2025 using a Saint Kitts and Nevis passport obtained through a citizenship-by-investment program. Authorities ultimately confirmed his identity using biometric facial recognition and classified him as a prohibited person under Thailand’s Immigration Act.
He is now undergoing deportation proceedings and is expected to face prosecution in China, where he is wanted under an arrest warrant. In parallel with the arrest, Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has moved to freeze a significant pool of assets linked to the broader network and associated criminal activity, including fraud, drug trafficking and human trafficking.
Authorities said 34 assets were seized in the latest action, including vehicles, bank deposits, cash and securities, with a combined value of THB8.27 billion ($257 million). Including previously confiscated items, the total has now reached 102 assets worth around THB20.39 billion ($633.8 million).
AMLO said it will continue working with the Royal Thai Police and the Securities and Exchange Commission to dismantle financial networks underpinning such operations, reflecting a broader shift toward targeting both individuals and the proceeds of crime.
