Major Chinese online gambling host arrested in Bangkok

Police have arrested a 41-year-old Chinese man suspected of being a major online gambling host with a 50-billion-baht business who escaped arrest in his homeland and hid in the Sukhumvit-Ekamai area of Bangkok.

The Chinese embassy had alerted Thai police that the man was wanted on an arrest warrant in China and was hiding in Thailand, said Pol Maj Gen Kongchart Liangsomsap, commander of Immigration Division 1.

Immigration police took five days to track and locate the suspect, he said on Thursday.

Detectives learned he was holed up in a luxury condominium in the Sukhumvit-Ekamai area and rarely left his room except to buy food at local convenience stores. He was arrested at a convenience store on Wednesday.

Police said the suspect, identified only as Liu, admitted to running the Huangguan Internet gambling website based in China. It had more than 4,000 user accounts and recorded financial transactions equivalent to more than 50 billion baht.

After the arrest warrant was issued in China, he fled to Thailand. He had a valid visa but Thai immigration police are carrying out extradition procedures.

Many Chinese people suspected of being involved in online gambling have been arrested in Thailand in recent years. They include both suspected fugitives and hosts setting up their systems in Thailand.