Myanmar arrests 83 Thai nationals in Tachileik hotel raid on online scam and gambling operation

Myanmar security forces arrested 83 Thai nationals at a hotel in the border town of Tachileik on October 31, 2026, on suspicion of running online scam and gambling operations, the country's Ministry of Information said in a Burmese-language notice posted on November 1.

According to the ministry, a joint team that included security personnel acted on information that online fraud and gambling businesses were operating in Tachileik, in Shan State (East). At about 5:45 pm on October 31, the team raided a hotel in San Sai (A) Ward and arrested 42 Thai men and 41 Thai women. Officers seized 40 laptops and 75 mobile phones of various kinds that the ministry said were used to commit the offences.

The ministry said those arrested will face action under existing laws once the necessary questioning is complete, and that the seized equipment will be dealt with under established procedures. The notice did not name the hotel's operators or any alleged organisers, and did not say what charges will be brought.

Tachileik sits across the Mae Sai river from Thailand's Chiang Rai province.

Shwe Kokko demolitions continue

In a separate notice posted the same evening, the ministry said demolition of buildings it described as having been used for online scams and gambling in the second section of the Shwe Kokko area, in Kayin State, is continuing. Of 63 buildings slated for demolition there, four have been brought down with explosives and four with heavy machinery, leaving 55. Two six-storey buildings were 60% and 30% demolished, it said.

Earlier enforcement actions across the region are logged in AskSpinner's Asia gambling enforcement tracker.

The allegations have not been tested in court.

If you hold rights to images used in this article and have concerns, please contact us at support@askspinner.com.