Thailand has extradited Chinese national She Zhijiang, accused of leading one of Southeast Asia’s largest illegal online gambling and scam networks, to China after a two-year legal battle.

Zhijiang was arrested in Thailand back in 2022 after the Chinese Interpol issued a warrant. He was handed over to Chinese authorities this week following the Thai court’s decision to uphold Beijing’s extradition request. Officials said the transfer was conducted under Thailand’s Extradition Act (B.E. 2551) and the 1993 Extradition Treaty between both nations.

Zhijiang, also known as “She Lunkai,” is accused of running a vast criminal empire linked to the Shwe Kokko New City project in Myanmar’s Karen State, a controversial development that has become synonymous with online fraud, money laundering, and human trafficking.

Promoted as a luxury real estate hub for Chinese investors, Shwe Kokko was allegedly used to host large-scale online scam operations, often targeting victims across Asia. A BBC investigation earlier this year revealed that fraudulent operations continued there despite international sanctions and public exposure.

Company sanctioned by the US-UK 

His company, Yatai International Holdings Group, has been sanctioned by both the United States and the United Kingdom for links to human rights abuses and the operation of “scam compounds” across Southeast Asia. The US Treasury accuses the group of facilitating transnational organised crime, including online gambling and cyber fraud.

Born in China’s Hunan province in 1982, Zhijiang left school early and moved to the Philippines, where he reportedly entered the online gambling industry in his twenties. In 2014, he was convicted in China for running an illegal lottery, yet continued his business activities across Cambodia and Myanmar.

Authorities say he managed to acquire multiple citizenships, including from Cambodia and Myanmar, using them to move freely across jurisdictions and build an extensive regional network.

The United Nations estimates hundreds of thousands of people are trapped in scam compounds across Southeast Asia, often lured by false job offers and forced into digital fraud or crypto scams. Many victims are from China, fuelling Beijing’s ongoing crackdown on such networks.

Will China punish Zhijiang?

In recent months, Chinese courts have handed down severe penalties, including the death sentence, to organisers of similar syndicates. Analysts say Zhijiang’s extradition marks a major win for Beijing, underscoring China’s expanding reach in tackling transnational criminal activity.

The Thai Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Corrections, and the Foreign Ministry coordinated closely with the Chinese embassy in Bangkok to facilitate the transfer.

Observers believe the timing of the extradition is politically significant. It follows Prime Minister Anutin’s reaffirmation that Thailand will not legalise casinos, a move likely aimed at reassuring Beijing that Bangkok remains aligned with China’s hard stance against outbound gambling.

China remains Thailand’s largest source of foreign tourists, yet Chinese arrivals have dropped 34 percent year-on-year, posing fresh challenges for Bangkok’s economic recovery. Analysts say the extradition and tightening gambling controls reflect Thailand’s balancing act, seeking to revive its tourism economy while aligning with China’s push to curb cross-border gambling and online fraud.

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