Laos has handed 41 Thai nationals back to Thai authorities after they were detained over alleged involvement in illegal online gambling, computer crime and telecommunications fraud operations in Vientiane.
The group, consisting of 30 women and 11 men, was transferred to Thailand on 10 August at the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge connecting Vientiane with Nong Khai. Lao state media said the handover followed an investigation by the Ministry of Public Security.
The suspects were detained during a raid on 18 July at the premises of ST VEGUS Company Limited in Dongphosi village, Hadxaifong district. Lao authorities said the alleged activities involved offences covering prohibited online gambling, computer-related crime and telecommunications fraud under the country’s penal code.
Thai authorities subsequently screened the returnees and found that none had outstanding arrest warrants. Initial checks also concluded that none of the 41 were classified as human trafficking victims.
Workers linked to three gambling operations
Investigators found that the Thai nationals had previously worked as online gambling administrators in Cambodia before moving to Laos. According to Thai reporting, they left Cambodia following disruption caused by clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border and later entered Laos together through Nong Khai.
After arriving in Vientiane, the group rented accommodation and allegedly resumed work connected to online gambling websites.
During questioning, the 41 individuals admitted working as administrators for three gambling operations, identified in local reporting as Maha Heng 777, UFA and 365. Their duties involved 12-hour shifts, while compensation differed between the sites.
Workers associated with Maha Heng 777 reportedly received THB400 per day. UFA employees were paid around THB15,000 per month, while those working for 365 received approximately THB18,000 monthly.
The deportation forms part of a broader campaign by Laos against illegal gambling platforms, scam centres and telecommunications fraud networks operating inside the country.
Laos expands crackdown on online crime
The ST Vegas complex has already been at the centre of a major enforcement operation. Authorities detained 589 people during the 18 July raid, including 373 Thai nationals, 199 Lao nationals, 15 Vietnamese nationals and two Cambodian nationals.
Another 32 Thai nationals connected to the same enforcement action were transferred to Thailand on 6 August. Lao police have also conducted further raids in Vientiane, including coordinated operations in Sikhottabong and Hadxaifong districts targeting suspected call-centre and online fraud networks.
The latest handover follows several other large repatriations during 2026. On 21 May, Laos transferred 307 Thai nationals, including 170 women, to Thai authorities over alleged involvement in online gambling and telecommunications fraud.
A further 67 Thai nationals were handed over in late July following another crackdown on suspected online scam and illegal gambling operations in Vientiane.
Laos has significantly increased enforcement against the sector this year. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone told the National Assembly in July that more than 4,400 people had been arrested in cases involving cybercrime, online fraud and illegal gambling during the first six months of 2026.
The growing number of raids and cross-border transfers highlights increasing cooperation between Lao and Thai authorities as governments across Southeast Asia attempt to disrupt criminal networks combining illegal gambling, telecommunications fraud and other forms of online crime.