Fun88: Thai Police Bust Gambling Site Linked to Serial Poisoner

Fourteen people have been taken into custody by Thai law enforcement authorities in connection to a virtual gambling platform which is believed to have been used by Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, a likely female serial murderer.

Suspected serial killer Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, 36 years old and four months pregnant at the time of her arrest in April, can be seen in a police mugshot following her apprehension. Prosecutors allege she has poisoned at least 15 people to steal their money, potentially ranking her among the most vile murderers in Thai history pending a conviction. An addiction to gambling could have been the motive for the killings, as investigators hypothesize, as Sararat had gambled away 78 million Bhat (US$2.3 million) through the online gambling site Fun88 in three years and even placed wagers worth as much as 10 million Bhat (US$290,000) per day. Deputy police commissioner Surachate Hakparn described her debts as “massive”, a reminder that when the fun stops in gambling, serious consequences can follow. (Image: Thaiger/Thai Royal Police)

When the Fun Stops

On Friday, authorities declared they had charged 14 employees of Fun88 with violating laws on gambling and money laundering. Warrants were issued for an additional 21 suspects, with seven of them still at large. The country is captivated by the pregnancy serial killer case, as the person in question – Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn – is the spouse of a high-ranking police director, Lt. Col. Vitoon Rangsiwuthaporn. Three of her victims were female law enforcement officers, and both Sararat and Vitoon are charged with destroying/concealing evidence in an attempt to help Sararat avoid being convicted for the alleged poisoning of Siriporn Khanwong in Ratchaburi province on April 14. Online gambling is unlawful in Thailand, and if found guilty, Sararat could potentially be forced to face the death sentence.

Slipping Cyanide

Prosecutors allege that the killings perpetrated by Sararat began in 2015, and occurred across multiple provinces, primarily in western Bangkok. The victims were generally well-off, ranging in age from their twenties to thirties. Sararat is alleged to have gained the trust of the victims before lacing their food or drinks with cyanide pills, sometimes even passing it off as medicinal herbs. Sararat was arrested shortly after the unfortunate demise of one of her victims, Siriporm. Investigations uncovered that the two had traveled from Bangkok to Ratchaburi in order to partake in a Buddhist ritual for protection. Sararat now faces a total of seventy-five charges.

75 Charges

After Siriporn collapsed suddenly and passed away, Sararat made a getaway rather than aiding the bystanders in trying to revive the victim. Siriporn’s money, two phones, and a pricey bag were absent and an autopsy exhibited evidence of cyanide in her body. In the pursuit of her house, the law enforcement personnel discovered a bottle containing cyanide. Subsequently, extra informants emerged with reports of their relatives’ sudden deaths following their meetups with Sararat. A particular woman maintained that she encountered a near death occurrence after consuming the “posh pharmaceutical” Sararat had given her, shortly after she granted her a loan. Sararat is accused of seventy-five misdemeanors, comprising of multiple counts of premeditated homicide, robbery, and frauding of edible products. At the end of June, news circulated that she had miscarried her unborn child.