Illegal Poker Game in Thonglor Ends with 7 Koreans and 2 Thais Arrested
Police Raid Upscale Bangkok Gambling Operation
BANGKOK — Thonglor police arrested seven South Korean nationals and two Thai citizens during a late-night raid on an illegal poker game in the upscale Thonglor district on March 21.
Acting on a tip from an informant, officers from Thonglor Police Station stormed a third-floor room in the Pentacle 2 Building, Soi Saeng Ngern (Thonglor 25), discovering the suspects actively engaged in a high-stakes poker game.
Details of the Raid
Before announcing themselves, police first detained 34-year-old Weerawat, who was serving as the doorman for the gambling operation. Peering inside, officers confirmed the presence of multiple Thai and foreign nationals gambling before making the arrests.
Seized Evidence
Authorities confiscated a significant amount of gambling-related items, including:
- Two decks of cards
- 160 blue poker chips (valued at approximately 160,000 baht)
- 130 orange poker chips (worth around 130,000 baht)
- An “all-in” coin
- A ledger recording chip exchanges
- Multiple mobile phones
- 50,000 baht in cash
Organizers and Participants Identified
According to police, Weerawat confessed to working as a doorman under the orders of Mr. Yongsung, a 33-year-old South Korean national, who allegedly organized the poker game and handled chip exchanges.
Meanwhile, Ms. Hyuna, a 30-year-old South Korean woman, reportedly worked as the dealer. The remaining individuals were identified as players.
Mr. Yongsung admitted to securing the location and managing chip-to-money exchanges through PromptPay transfers to Ms. Hyuna’s Bangkok Bank account. He claimed that the operation had just begun that day, with approximately 200,000 baht in circulation.
Legal Proceedings
Police have charged:
- Mr. Yongsung and Ms. Hyuna with organizing an illegal gambling operation.
- The remaining seven suspects with participating in illegal gambling.
All suspects, along with the seized evidence, have been transferred to Thonglor Police Station for further legal proceedings.
