Police raided an upmarket gambling den inside a hotel in Thailand.

Immigration Bureau officers on November 29 converged on the IWISH Hotel in Nonthaburi, where a 'luxurious' casino called 'Noah Entertainment Place' was operating on its eighth and ninth floors.

Authorities said the two floors had been leased, then decorated lavishly, with gaming tables equipped with computers and manned by sharp-dressed staff. The casino was only accessible by keycard, local media reported.

Forty-nine people were arrested, including 26 Chinese nationals, and several Canadians, Singaporeans, Burmese, Lao, and Thai people. Six baccarat tables, six slot machines, a fish shooting game machine, hundreds of card decks, chips worth more than 10 million baht, and 3.5 million baht in cash were seized by officers.

Deputy Police Commander Police General Kittirat Phanpetch said the casino was believed to be Chinese-owned. They were investigating if local police had been complicit in its operations.

The majority of its clientele were reported to be wealthy Chinese businessmen and tourists.

The 49 detainees were taken to the Rattanathibet Police Station for questioning.

Police were tracking down the owner of the gambling den.

Gambling is illegal in China, with the country's government enforcing strict regulations against casinos and online gambling. It is also illegally in Thailand but poorly enforced laws and endemic corruption allow it to thrive.

Thailand has recently stepped up efforts to attract Chinese tourists, including a visa waiver program running until the end of February 2024.