Thai Police Bust a Poker Den in a Pattaya Nail Salon

(AsiaGameHub) –   Authorities in the Thai resort city of Pattaya are intensifying their crackdown on unlawful gambling operations, apprehending seven individuals during a sting at a nail salon.

According to the Thai news agency Siam Rath, officers from the Pattaya South precinct discovered seven individuals engaged in a poker game at the Chouly Nails establishment, located in the Nong Prue Subdistrict within Bang Lamung District.

Law enforcement officials documented the scene with photographs prior to storming the location and taking all seven suspects into custody on charges related to illegal gambling.

The photographic evidence depicts seven individuals seated on client sofas, utilizing a large towel to serve as a makeshift gaming surface.

A substantial pile of banknotes is visible in the middle of this improvised table. The group seemingly made minimal effort to conceal their actions; the lights were illuminated, and the alleged gamblers were playing adjacent to a large glass door facing the street.

Authorities stated the operation took place at approximately 2:00 AM on May 19. Investigators noted that the raid was prompted by information received from a civilian tipster.

Pattaya Nail Salon: Suspects Allegedly ‘Showed No Fear of Law Enforcement’

The source informed officers that “a group of gamblers” was conducting card games “openly, without fear of legal repercussions” inside the salon.

Police reported seizing a deck of playing cards along with an unspecified amount of money. Subsequently, the seven detainees were transported to the Pattaya City Police Station for interrogation.

During questioning, one detainee allegedly explained that following the shop’s closure, the staff gathered for drinks and subsequently “initiated a poker game.”

Although the individuals apprehended at the nail salon appear to be Thai citizens, Pattaya law enforcement officials have observed a rise in gambling offenses involving foreign nationals.

Earlier this month, three individuals holding Chinese passports suffered injuries while leaping from second-story windows of a villa in Pattaya in an attempt to evade a police raid.

Police stated the residence had been transformed into a clandestine VIP wagering venue.

Emergency medical personnel attended to the injured men before transporting them to a local medical facility.

Authorities have since filed gambling-related charges against the three men, as well as several other Chinese nationals.

Authorities Keeping Watch on Foreign Nationals

In late 2024, officers raided a property in Pattaya that South Korean tenants had allegedly converted into a headquarters for a $3.7 million online gambling operation.

Internet-based casinos are prohibited under the laws of both South Korea and Thailand.

Police indicated the group consisted of more than a dozen “staff members” who utilized the two-story detached home as an ad hoc office.

The property featured tight security measures, including a perimeter fence and the installation of closed-circuit television cameras.

Officers stated that those arrested offered sports betting and virtual casino services to a client base exceeding 20,000 people in South Korea.

Investigators note that specific housing developments in certain districts have gained notoriety among international visitors.

Many lease villas in secluded neighborhoods where some “participate in illicit operations involving call centers and online gambling,” according to police reports.

Meanwhile, in Phuket, law enforcement dismantled an illicit poker club in February that catered solely to Russian speakers.

The Chalong police force reported finding a promotional post on Instagram in Russian regarding the club during a standard internet scan.

The advertisement directed users to a WhatsApp group that disseminated the schedule for future gambling events.

It is reported that the organizers required prospective poker players to pay approximately $650 for each session.