Nong Khai — Lao authorities have repatriated another large batch of 130 Thai nationals who had secretly gone to operate gambling websites in the Lao PDR. It was revealed that they had rented rooms to run online gambling sites in the heart of Vientiane capital. They were ultimately subjected to a heavy crackdown by Lao authorities, who took all the admins into custody before sending them back to Thailand to face legal proceedings.
Today (13 Aug.), Pol. Col. Noppadon Rakchat, Superintendent of the Nong Khai Immigration Division, together with Pol. Col. Jirawit Pan-yim, Superintendent of Mueang Nong Khai Police Station, Pol. Lt. Col. Thiyachapaht Rangsiphrammakun, Deputy Superintendent of the Nong Khai Immigration Division, Pol. Lt. Col. Phuttichai Chanthong, Deputy Superintendent (Investigation) of Mueang Nong Khai Police Station, and officials from the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Lao PDR, received 130 Thai nationals — both male and female — from the Lao authorities.
They were returned to Thailand following a Lao crackdown on an online gambling and scammer network in Nakhon Luang Vientiane. The individuals were brought back to Thailand via the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge No. 1 border checkpoint in Mueang Nong Khai District. They were then taken to undergo a joint multidisciplinary screening process at the Nong Khai Provincial Volunteer Defense Corps compound. None were found to be trafficking victims, none had been lured or deceived, and no persons with outstanding arrest warrants were identified among the group.
Investigations revealed that all 130 individuals had travelled to work for a total of six gambling websites, earning an average monthly salary of 14,000–18,000 baht. They had rented rooms adjacent to the St. Vegas Casino in Nakhon Luang Vientiane, Lao PDR. Some had only been working there for as little as one month. On 18 Aug. 2012, they were subjected to a heavy crackdown by the Lao authorities. All of them were detained by Lao officials on charges of working without authorisation and operating gambling-related websites within Laos.
Once legal proceedings under Lao PDR law were concluded, the Lao authorities coordinated with their Thai counterparts to repatriate all 130 individuals to Thailand, where further action will be taken under Thai law.
