Pattaya, November 19th, 2025
Immigration police stormed a high-end condominium in central Pattaya on Wednesday evening and arrested five Indian men suspected of operating as administrators for illegal offshore gambling websites, with financial transactions worth millions of baht.
The raid took place at a condo on Soi Thepprasit 17 shortly after 6 p.m., led by Pol. Col. Naphatpong Khosit-suriyamanee, Chonburi Provincial Immigration chief, and Pol. Lt. Col. Kawinwat Arayasuriwong, his deputy.
Officers entered a room on the second floor of the condo and found the five suspects seated at computers surrounded by more than 20 mobile phones lined up on tables. Police seized:
– 3 laptop computers
– 22 mobile phones
– 1 tablet
– Multiple credit cards
– Ledgers showing money transfers totalling several million Indian rupees (approximately 2 million baht)
Investigators say the records clearly documented transfers were used to top up credits on online gambling platforms.
The arrested men were identified as:
1. Mr Shivam Shivam, 29
2. Mr Sandeep Kumar, 24
3. Mr Sakir Sakir, 27
4. Mr Kapil Kapil, 24
5. Mr Gaurav Jaiswal, 39
All five gave evasive answers during initial questioning, claiming only to be “customer service admins” while refusing to disclose details of their actual duties.
Pol. Col. Naphatpong told reporters the operation followed intelligence that a group of Indian nationals had entered Thailand and were using Pattaya as a base to manage gambling sites targeting customers in India. After weeks of surveillance, officers obtained a search warrant and moved in.
The men will initially face charges of “working without a permit or performing work outside the scope of their visa” under Section 8 of the Foreign Employment Management Act B.E. 2560 (2017). They will later be transferred to Pattaya City Police Station for further prosecution on suspected online gambling offences.
Authorities say the investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible during a current national crackdown on illegal work and overstaying. This comes only a day after another major operation in Pattaya arrested 17 Indian nationals, 15 on overstay, suspected of working illegally as well.
