A Ukrainian and four Russians were arrested for playing poker in Thailand - a country where gambling is illegal.

Police acting on a tip-off raided the suspected gambling den and detained the five tourists on the island of Phuket on March 20.

The individuals were identified by authorities as Ukrainian man Oleksandr Shpetnyi, the dealer, Russian nationals Evgenii Vylegzhanin, Rodion Elonov, and Ruslan Kolontyrskii, the players, and Russian woman Ekaterina Morozova, who exchanged the betting chips for cash.

They were allegedly caught huddled around a poker table in the middle of a game.

Police seized gambling tables, decks, dealer buttons, chairs, and betting chips worth around 79,600 baht. A Samsung computer, Apple MacBook Air, and a ledger were also confiscated.

Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum, Phuket Provincial Police Commander, said: 'We have been trying to raid the group but the place was always heavily guarded. They also used chips instead of cryptocurrency or cash, making it difficult to catch them.'

He added that Oleksandr and Ekaterina will be charged with 'being a bookmaker and facilitating illegal poker games', while the rest will be charged with 'participating in illegal gambling activities'.

All five individuals were taken into custody at the Phuket City Police Station for legal proceedings.

Thailand has seen an influx of Russians seeking safety since the conflict erupted with Ukraine last year.

Despite concerns surrounding continued law-breaking from some of them, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has welcomed the influx of foreign cash and even courted reviled Russian leader Vladimir Putin. In October last year, he invited the former KGB officer to visit Thailand to strengthen ties between the two countries.