Pattaya, May 14th, 2026 – A joint team of immigration, tourism, and local police raided a luxury villa in Pattaya late Wednesday night, breaking up an illegal high-stakes poker gambling operation and arresting 16 Chinese nationals. Three Chinese men were injured trying to escape by jumping off the second floor of the venue.
The operation took place at 11:46 p.m. on May 14th when officers from the Chonburi Immigration Police, Nong Prue Police Station, Tourism Police Region 4, and Banglamung District Administration officials stormed a two-storey luxury house in Nongprue.
Authorities detained 16 Chinese gamblers,13 men and 3 women, on the premises. Seized items included approximately 100,000 baht in cash, poker chips valued at several million baht, three professional poker tables, large quantities of playing cards, along with food and drinks prepared for the players.
The raid followed complaints from local residents who noticed large groups of Chinese tourists frequently entering the villa, which raised suspicions of possible illegal activity. Community members were particularly alarmed due to a previous incident in which a Chinese man was found hiding C4 explosives in the area. Fearing the group might be gathering for criminal activity, locals tipped off police, begging them to investigate.
Officers planned the raid carefully after learning the suspects had installed extensive CCTV cameras around the property to monitor for authorities. Despite the precautions, police from multiple units launched a swift midnight operation, catching the gamblers off guard.
In the chaos, three Chinese men panicked and jumped from a second-floor window in an attempt to escape. All three were injured upon hitting the ground and required immediate first aid from rescue workers. The remaining 13 gamblers inside the house, both men and women, were found in a state of panic but had no escape route.
Police secured the scene, closing off the surrounding area, and took all 16 individuals into custody. Investigators are now checking their immigration records and travel history before handing the case over to investigators for legal proceedings on charges related to illegal gambling.
All sixteen are expected to be charged and then deported and blacklisted. Thailand has some of the strictest anti gambling laws in the world, banning even private games of poker and private gambling.
