Wasarin “Tokyogurl” Naraphat (R) and Cheerio “Kong” have carried out one of the biggest cheating scandals in the history of Thai esports. Photo by Bangkok ESC and TESF |
On Feb. 13, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Thailand announced the arrest of Wasarin Naraphat and Cheerio for cheating at the 33rd SEA Games. The pair are being prosecuted for unauthorized computer data access and disclosure of privacy protection measures, causing harm to others.
The cheating was discovered during Thailand’s 0-3 loss to Vietnam in the Arena of Valor (RoV) event on Dec. 15, 2025. A referee detected the Discord app with video calling and screen-sharing running in the background on Naraphat’s device. The 29-year-old athlete was immediately disqualified. A day later, the Thailand women’s team voluntarily withdrew, leaving behind one of the biggest scandals in Thai esports history.
At the CIB, Naraphat detailed the cheating process at the competition venue, explaining how she secretly brought an extra phone with Discord installed to swap with the device provided by the organizers. With this application, Wasarin could broadcast the screen of Cheerio’s gameplay, according to Thairath.
When entering the arena, Naraphat paid close attention to the cameras. When they panned away, she proceeded to swap the phones.
“I placed the two devices on top of each other, then plugged them in to charge and swapped them,” Naraphat said. “The organizer’s phone was placed under the table, then I used my foot to hold it down and used the other one to avoid detection by the referees.”
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Thai police presented an arrest warrant to Wasarin Naraphat (C) in February 2026. Photo by CIB |
Previously, on Dec. 14, Naraphat proactively provided Cheerio with her game account and password.
“I had to log in immediately because the organizers might change the password,” Cheerio stated. “Naraphat said she would play the match against Timor Leste herself, and asked me to play the match against Vietnam.”
On the day of the match, the security system of the organizers detected two devices logged into the same account, causing the players to be disconnected. The organizers then changed the password. Cheerio continued to wait for instructions from Naraphat on Discord.
“When I saw Naraphat’s account was off, I thought she might be caught and would compete by herself,” Cheerio added. “I deleted the game account and left Discord.”
On Feb. 4, police searched the residences of both suspects. They seized the personal phone that Naraphat had used for the unauthorized login. The investigation revealed that the IP address matched the time of the match, alongside messages detailing the plan to play on her behalf.
In fact, the deception had been going on for a long time. Cheerio was a hired player helping Naraphat boost her online image, though both denied having a romantic relationship.
“I had personal problems, so I had to move out and needed money. When my savings were running low, Naraphat suggested I play for her so she could make videos on social media,” Cheerio said. “She provided money for rent, food and shopping. I have been playing on her behalf for a long time.”
The CIB stated that the charges could constitute a criminal offense with imprisonment and fines. The offenders will also carry criminal records.
The incident has severely damaged the image of Thai esports and has become one of the most prominent controversies of the 33rd SEA Games.
Before Naraphat’s arrest, publisher Garena banned her from all RoV tournaments, effective Dec. 16, 2025. Her team, TALON, also confirmed the immediate termination of her contract. RoV Esports imposed the highest level of punishment, issuing a lifetime ban and bringing one of the biggest scandals in Thai esports history to a close.
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