Following three years of legal battles, a Thai court of appeals has upheld an extradition order against an alleged ‘Chinese gambling kingpin.’
According to the Bangkok Post, a 43-year-old Chinese man, named She Zhijiang, who also holds a Cambodian passport, was arrested back in August 2022 by Thai police. The arrest was on an international warrant and an Interpol red notice, which is reported to have been requested by Beijing, who had accused the the Yatai International Holdings Group chairman of running illegal online gambling operations.
เปิดเหตุผล ศาลอุทธรณ์พิพากษายืน ส่ง ‘เสอจื้อเจียง’ กลับจีน ยันไม่ใช่คดีการเมือง#มติชนออนไลน์ pic.twitter.com/jI9FHP0TiL
— Matichon Online (@MatichonOnline) November 10, 2025
It was then in May 2024 when the Thai criminal court first ordered his extradition to China, but the man’s legal team appealed the decision. At the time, it was argued by the lawyers that the order had breached the law but the Thai Constitutional Court found that the extradition order was lawful last month. As of January 2025, he was still in detention in prison in Thailand.
Chinese man has been accused of running illegal online gambling operations
She Zhijian’s company, Yatai International Holdings Group, was registered in Hong Kong but is actually based in Thailand. He’s been on the run since 2012, after slipping away from Chinese authorities. A couple of years later, in 2014, a court in China’s Shandong province convicted him of operating an illegal online lottery in the Philippines that targeted Chinese users and reportedly pulled in about $298 million in profits.
By 2015, he had shifted his focus to Cambodia, where he reportedly got involved in helping Chinese gamblers front-load bets in Cambodian casinos, an activity that’s considered illegal. From there, he expanded into the Philippines and bought one of Manila’s biggest spa and entertainment centers. In January 2017, he obtained Cambodian citizenship and changed his name to Tang Kriang Kai, something that’s possible for anyone who donates at least $250,000 to the Cambodian government.
Between early 2018 and early 2021, he allegedly worked with others to set up gambling companies and recruit around 330,000 gamblers, earning more than $22 million through gambling scams.
Now, fast forward to November 2025, the lengthy saga appears to be nearing an end as the local report says the man will be extradited to China. It’s believed that the Thai Appeal Court came to the decision on November 6, with the verdict later relayed to the defendant. The report quotes a Thai prosecutor’s statement, which says it’s there – in China – that the person is to stand trial for allegedly operating illegal casinos.
The alleged offences include the founding and operation of 239 gambling websites, and he is also accused of building and running two casinos in Myanmar. However, the individual continues to deny any wrongdoing and says the case is politically motivated and based on alleged offences dating back to 2011, his lawyer, Sanya Eadjongdee, told Reuters.
With the order having now been given, the government agencies in Thailand will have 90 days to coordinate the extradition and make it happen. Although, it’s not yet known when exactly the movement will occur.
Featured Image: NTD AP TV via YouTube
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