Thailand, known for its open visa policy and low cost of living, attracts countless foreigners. However, with the exposure of a case, a transnational gray industry chain hidden behind student visas has also come to light.
In February 2025, police in Chonburi raided a private residence and arrested five Chinese nationals holding "student visas," who were found with numerous operational devices: laptops and dozens of mobile phones controlling multiple online platforms. Investigations revealed that they were not enrolled in any school but were providing "customer service" for an illegal gambling website in China, involving fund exchange, customer communication, and technical support. All five had expired visas but were still operating illegally in Thailand.
This case is not an isolated incident. In various regions of Thailand, similar "student" groups are active in the gray industry chain. They hide under the names of language schools or training institutions, using legal visas as cover, while actually engaging in online gambling, telecom fraud, money laundering, and other cross-border criminal activities.
Student Visa Becomes a "Gray Industry Pass"
Thailand originally implemented the student visa (ED visa) to encourage foreigners to study language courses or skill training programs, with flexible duration and easy renewal. However, some unscrupulous agents and "affiliate schools" exploit policy loopholes to tailor-make "fake student" identities for clients. With just a few thousand yuan in agency fees, clients can obtain long-term legal residency without actually attending any courses.
This "nominal attendance" model has spawned a visa black industry chain:
Agencies provide document forgery services;
Some language schools turn a blind eye;
Visa reviews lack substantial supervision.
Legally covered externally and internally manipulating the gray industry, the "student visa" has become the best identity disguise for some online gambling gangs to land in Thailand.
Why Thailand Becomes a "Logistical Base" for Gambling Gangs?
Gambling is illegal in China, but the huge underground demand has created a vast market. To evade supervision, many overseas gambling platforms have moved their operations to Southeast Asian countries, and Thailand's policy environment, technological base, and Chinese community just meet their operational needs.
Geographical and linguistic advantages: Thailand is close to China with many Chinese speakers, making communication barrier-free.
Regulatory gaps: Local Thai laws are unclear about online gambling, and law enforcement is relatively limited.
Clear division of labor: There are specialized technical maintenance teams, customer service groups, and money laundering channels.
Encrypted communication methods: Contact with gamblers through tools like Telegram and Line to avoid platform scrutiny.
In this system, "student identity" provides legal legitimacy, making it more convenient to rent houses, open accounts, and purchase equipment. The entire gambling chain's "middle and back office" quietly forms in Thailand.
Multi-departmental Intervention, Yet Enforcement Remains Challenging
The Thai Immigration Bureau has noticed the increasingly severe problem. Since 2024, immigration and education departments have strengthened visa reviews, requiring educational institutions to submit attendance records and proof of enrollment. The review has become stricter for applicants who frequently apply for student visas without clear academic goals.
The police also cooperate in enforcement, focusing on suspicious "students" and collaborating with Chinese police for intelligence sharing and cross-border crackdowns, shutting down multiple telecom fraud and gambling dens. However, reality still faces challenges:
Criminal gangs are highly mobile, quickly changing bases after one is taken down;
Visa document forgery techniques are constantly updated;
The gray industry often intertwines with underground money houses, telecom fraud platforms, and fake investment schemes, greatly increasing the difficulty of investigation.
Chinese Embassy and Thai Society Remain Vigilant
In response to the frequent exposure of "fake student" cases, the Chinese Embassy in Thailand has repeatedly issued warnings, reminding Chinese citizens not to be deceived by so-called "high-paying study" or "earn while you learn" projects, and not to participate in any gambling or fraud-related activities. The local Thai society is also increasingly vigilant against illegal labor and black market transactions.
At the same time, the study abroad market is also affected, with some parents having doubts about sending their children to Thailand for language courses, fearing being misled or involved in illegal industry chains.
The Alarm Has Sounded, Thailand Cannot Become a "Gray Industry Paradise"
The case in Chonburi is just a glimpse of the vast underground network. In the absence of strict supervision and cooperative crackdowns, student visas may continue to be exploited as a tool for criminals to "whitewash" their identities.
If the Thai government hopes to maintain the national image and security environment, it urgently needs to fill gaps in visa review, school supervision, cross-border law enforcement, and network governance. For those gangs and individuals trying to evade legal sanctions under the guise of "studying abroad," Thailand will eventually no longer be a lawless land.
