Police arrest 18 over alleged gambling at Phuket villa

Police arrested 18 people during a raid on an alleged unlicensed gambling game at a luxury villa in Sri Sunthon, Thalang district, Phuket, early on 3 November 2026.

The operation took place at about 12.30am in Moo 6 and involved investigators from Provincial Police Region 8 and Thalang police. The group included a 35-year-old Phuket man identified as Bencharong, whose surname was withheld.

Officers seized equipment for a game involving shrimp, fish, manta ray and flowers, a betting mat, 30 wooden chips, two notebooks recording game statistics and B104,000 in cash found in the centre of the group.

Bencharong was accused of organising the unlicensed game. The other 17 people were accused of jointly taking part in unlicensed gambling for money or other property. All 18 suspects and the seized items were handed to investigators at Thalang police station for legal proceedings.