TikTok Celebrity Arrested at Bangkok Airport over Online Gambling

A Thai TikTok celebrity was arrested at an airport recently and is reportedly facing charges related to illegal gambling. The case involves a 29-year-old woman named Chutima, who enjoyed significant popularity via TikTok under the nickname Soda.

She was detained by law enforcement at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Tuesday this week, as reported by Thaiger. Allegations against Soda claim that she was involved in the operation of a gambling website called Zigma911.

The aforementioned illegal website offered sports wagering, slots, lottery and baccarat, among other online gambling activities. Allegedly, the website was promoted through social media platforms. Concerningly, the bank account tied to Zigma911 was found to have more than 4 billion baht or approximately $112.2 million in circulation.

Per the recent report, the Thai woman was arrested by officers from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society’s Special Operation Unit for the Prevention and Suppression of Digital Crimes. The TikTok personality was detained at a time when she had travel plans to Laos.

After the arrest of the 29-year-old, law enforcement proceeded with raids in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Overall, police raided six different locations where the illegal gambling website was operated from.

During the raids, law enforcement seized electronic equipment. Additionally, one person, who was suspected of operating the illegal gambling website together with Soda, was arrested. Arrest warrants for nearly two dozen other individuals allegedly involved in the operation were also issued.

The Social Media Star Demonstrated a Lavish Lifestyle

An investigation alleges that the TikTok celebrity’s bank account was related to transactions with the bank account tied to the gambling website. Soda demonstrated a lavish lifestyle, wearing expensive designer clothes and showing off luxury items.

On TikTok, the influencer’s account, ZaDo ZoDa reportedly had nearly 100,000 followers. At the time of writing and following her arrest, her account wasn’t accessible via the platform. This suggests that access to it was obstructed by the platform or by herself.

The authorities are yet to disclose specific details regarding the charges against Soda. It is also unclear what punishment she may be facing for her alleged criminal activities.

Currently, a handful of gambling activities are legal in Thailand. Those include betting on horse races as well as a lottery overseen by the government. Other forms of gambling, including slots, online casino games or sports betting are strictly prohibited and can be subject to litigation.