Phuket police arrest 71-year-old woman over alleged B9m gambling fraud
A 71-year-old woman was arrested in Phuket after a businesswoman allegedly lost more than B9 million in a rigged gambling scheme.
Police in Phuket arrested a 71-year-old woman on 20 August 2026 over an alleged gambling fraud scheme that took more than B9 million from a businesswoman, according to police.
The suspect, identified only as Sor, was arrested on Phattana Road in the Talat Nue subdistrict after the victim filed a complaint with Thalang Police Station. The victim had advertised land in Phuket for about B2 million when Sor and accomplices approached her, claiming an interest in the property.
Police said Sor and a man known as Dome introduced the victim to another man, known as Suea. Suea allegedly arranged a meeting with a woman known as Hong, who pretended to be wealthy and interested in Fan Tan, a traditional gambling game involving guesses about pumpkin seeds.
The group allegedly persuaded the victim to join the game. During the early rounds, Hong reportedly guessed incorrectly five times, leading the victim to believe she was likely to win. After the victim increased her wagers, members of the group allegedly removed a pumpkin seed to manipulate the result and ensure Hong won.
Suea then allegedly blamed the victim for the missing seed and demanded that she pay the full loss. Police said the group repeated the deception until it had obtained more than B9 million.
The Thaiger, citing a report by KhaoSod, said police records indicated that Sor had been involved in similar cases across Thailand for about 15 years. Those cases allegedly caused losses of more than B64 million. Police described the group as a “buffalo gang”.
