Thai esports players Tokyogurl, Cheerio arrested for cheating in match against Vietnam at 33rd SEA Games

Naraphat and Cheerio (nicknamed Kong) were apprehended following an investigation into the RoV match between Thailand and Vietnam on Dec. 15, 2025. Thailand lost the match 0-3.

The Thailand Esports Federation (TESF) determined that Naraphat used unauthorized third-party software to allow another individual, Cheerio, to compete on her behalf remotely.

Both suspects were arrested on felony charges after the CIB gathered sufficient evidence of the cheating. The bureau announced the arrests on Friday, Thairath reported.

Suspicion arose in the competition room at Chulalongkorn University when referees noted something wrong immediately after Naraphat entered the venue and manipulated the device’s settings before the match.

According to organizers, esports competitions leave distinct technical footprints, and referees observed two accounts logged into the same application simultaneously, prompting them to retain all data as evidence.

Naraphat was immediately disqualified from the tournament, and the Thai RoV team voluntarily withdrew. On Jan. 2, Cheerio posted a video on TikTok admitting to helping Naraphat cheat.

The CIB investigation revealed a meticulously prepared plan. Naraphat provided Cheerio with her login credentials. On the day of the competition, she secretly switched phones to bypass the anti-cheat hardware of the organizers. She then pretended to log in while actually using Discord to share her screen with Cheerio, who would control the character remotely. However, a technical glitch reportedly disrupted the connection, forcing Naraphat to take over herself, which exposed her plan.

On Feb. 4, Thai police raided three locations in Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom, seizing crucial evidence including phones, IP addresses and chat histories detailing the plan. During questioning, both Naraphat and Cheerio admitted to the charges.

CIB transferred the case to the prosecutor’s office two days later. The Pathumwan District Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on March 17.

The bureau emphasized that unauthorized access to tournament servers violates both sporting regulations and criminal law, carrying potential prison sentences and fines.

The incident has severely damaged the image of Thai esports and stands as one of the biggest controversies of the 33rd SEA Games.

Prior to the arrest, game publisher Garena issued a lifetime ban against Naraphat for all RoV tournaments, effective Dec. 16, 2025. Her professional team, TALON, confirmed the immediate termination of her contract. The RoV Esports organizing committee also imposed a lifetime ban on her, marking one of the biggest scandals in the history of Thai esports.