Laos Repatriates 42 Thai Gambling Website Admins
Laos extradited 42 Thai nationals to Thailand on July 10 for running illegal online gambling operations, with each earning 15,000 baht monthly as website administrators before returning through legal channels for prosecution.
On July 10, the Nong Khai immigration checkpoint received notification from the Vientiane immigration authority in Laos to receive 42 Thai suspects charged with illegal employment and clandestine online gambling operations. Following completion of international documentation procedures, all 42 individuals returned to Thailand via the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge checkpoint at Nong Khai, where they were received by Paiturya Majahuenchai, Nong Khai Vice Governor, Police Colonel Jirawit Panyim, Muang Nong Khai Police Station Commander, Police Major Thiyachaphat Rangsipramanakul, Nong Khai Immigration Deputy Director, and security personnel for victim screening and processing.
The victim screening found no evidence of trafficking or exploitation. Officers verified all names, travel histories, warrants, and case files—all individuals exited through legal channels. The 42 Thai nationals, both men and women, confessed to illegally crossing the border to work as gambling website administrators earning 15,000 baht per month for 12-hour shifts, with bonuses for recruiting new players. All will face legal prosecution.
