Thai Model Arrested for Promoting Gambling

Female Web influencer, Araya Suwannachote, 28, was arrested by Thai police for illegally promoting online gambling on her social media accounts.

Suwannachote reportedly advertised gambling websites before she was caught by police at her home in Bangkok, Thailand, on September 9.

Police Captain Pratchaya Khotsakha of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Investigation Division said they found posts in the model's pages allegedly inviting her followers to gamble online.

Gambling, other than betting on horse races or the government-sponsored Thai lottery, is prohibited in Thailand with current prohibition dating back to the Gambling Act 1935.

Araya Suwannachote's home was raided, her phone and computer seized.

The popular influencer's Facebook and Instagram accounts have more than 200,000 followers.

Araya, described in local reports as a 'fairy-like beauty', is believed to have amassed the large follower count by showing off her petite figure in revealing dresses, bikinis, and lingerie.

On July 30, another female influencer was detained for allegedly running an illegal gambling website for her breast implants.

Chutima or 'Soda' was said to have been operating the online gambling site Zigma911 with more than four billion baht (91 million GBP) in deposits.

She was caught at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport after authorities found Zigma911 ads on Facebook and LINE promoting gambling games, including baccarat, slots, lottery, and sports betting.

The arrests came amid a crackdown by the Cyber Crime Prevention and Suppression Special Operations Unit on digital crimes, including online gambling, underground lotteries, and call centre gangs.