Laos Returns 11 Thai Online Gambling Admins to Thailand
Laos extradited 11 Thai nationals to Thailand on July 14 after they were caught operating an illegal online gambling network from Vientiane, where they had fled following border conflicts in Cambodia.
At 11:00 a.m. on July 14, 2025, at the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint in Nong Khai Province, immigration and security officials received 11 Thai nationals (six men and five women) extradited by Laotian authorities. Immigration officials, working with partner agencies, screened the group for trafficking victims and criminal records. Initial findings revealed no human trafficking cases or matching arrest warrants.
Investigations into their travel history showed all 11 had previously worked as administrators for an illegal online gambling website in Cambodia. They fled after armed clashes erupted along the Thai-Cambodian border and subsequently traveled to Vientiane, Laos, where they rented an apartment to establish an illegal online lottery gambling operation. The group worked in three rotating shifts and earned 17,000 baht per month.
On June 27, 2025, Laotian authorities conducted a crackdown on illegal gambling networks and human trafficking, including scammer operations. After completing legal procedures, Laos arranged the extradition of all 11 suspects to Thailand for prosecution under Thai law.
