From Holiday Poker to Hostage Crisis: The Bangkok Card Game That Went Wrong

A European tourist's quest for a high-stakes poker game in Thailand turned into a three-day ordeal, according to police reports filed in Bangkok this week. The man, identified only as a 38-year-old Polish national, traveled to the country specifically to join a private card game. Instead, he was allegedly held against his will by the game's organizers.

Authorities state the tourist arrived in early January and was taken to a rental property where the game was to be held. Shortly after his arrival, the situation escalated. His captors are accused of seizing his passport, confining him, and demanding a ransom equivalent to roughly $6,000 from his family back home.

The tourist managed to contact a friend in Poland, who alerted the authorities. Thai police tracked his location to a house in the Wang Thonglang district of the capital, where they intervened and secured his release. Three individuals have been arrested on charges of kidnapping and extortion.

This incident highlights the risks associated with seeking out unregulated gambling circles abroad. A spokesperson for the Tourist Police Bureau advised visitors to engage only in legal entertainment and to maintain possession of their travel documents at all times. The former tourist, now free, is reportedly assisting with the investigation before his expected return home.