Thailand Poker 2025 SPI Review: Top Ten Thai Poker Players

The 2025 poker season has marked a historic turning point for the Thailand poker scene , as the nation’s elite transformed from regional contenders into global powerhouses. According to the Somuchpoker Poker Index (SPI) , the 2025 leaderboard is dominated by a generation of players who have mastered the art of high-stakes precision, led by a world-first performance that has put the global circuit on notice.

The following table showcases the top ten Thai poker players of 2025, detailing the consistency and raw earning power that defined their seasons.

2025 SPI Score: Thailand Top Ten

Player Profiles

1. Punnat Punsri

Standing alone at the peak of the top ten Thai poker players is Punnat Punsri , who delivered the greatest single-year performance by any Asian player in history. Punsri secured a monumental 2025 SPI Score of 32,242, becoming the first Asian player to be crowned the overall Global Poker Index’s Player of the Year. His season was a relentless storm of high-stakes success, resulting in a whopping haul of of $4,667,984 on the SPI. Punsri’s 2025 campaign included seven tournament victories and deep runs in elite series like Triton, the EPT , and the WSOP, where he repeatedly outclassed the world’s most feared professionals.

With over $31 million in total live earnings, Punsri has established himself as one of the top earners in poker history. His 2025 highlight came from Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju , where he triumphed in the 7 Handed event for the top prize of $2,594,555. While impressive, his career-best score stands at $3,107,000, which he achieved in the Luxon Invitational at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London 2023.

2. Kiwanont Sukhum

Ranked second among the top ten Thai poker players is Kiwanont Sukhum . He showed incredible dedication by attending 13 festivals throughout the year, more than anyone in the top five. Sukhum reached a 2025 SPI Score of 13,280 through 24 cashes in 38 events. His consistent presence across the Asian circuit resulted in total SPI earnings of $236,424.

Sukhum’s 2025 highlight was no doubt from the APT Taipei 2025 , where he finished in 6th place in the APT Main Event for a payout of TWD 3,564,000 (~$109,545), setting a new benchmark as his career-best cash.

3. Thanisorn Saelor

Thanisorn Saelor secures the third spot with a 2025 SPI Score of 11,235 among the top ten Thai poker players. Saelor was remarkably efficient, playing only 20 events but securing 17 cashes, a high-percentage ITM rate. This clinical performance led to SPI earnings of $345,415. His ability to make deep runs in limited appearances makes him one of the most technical competitors in the country.

With nearly $2 million in total live earnings, Saelor is currently ranked 9th on Thailand All Time Money List. His best score in 2025 came from APT Incheon , where he finished 4th in the APT Main Event for a payday of KRW 146,900,000 (~$105,813). Impressive as it is, Saelor’s career-best cash stands at KRW 201,800,000 (~$152,420) after his triumph in the Superstar Challenge at APT Incheon 2023.

4. Nopparut Piyatassakorn

Occupying the fourth position in the top ten Thai poker players, Nopparut Piyatassakorn recorded a strong 2025 SPI Score of 10,753. Piyatassakorn turned 21 event entries into 20 cashes, missing the money only once across 9 festivals. His performance resulted in SPI earnings of $211,345, proving his reputation as a highly disciplined and consistent tournament player. Piyatassakorn’s career-best live cash stands firmly at $84,661, which he earned in the 2023 APT Hanoi Billions in Vietnam for his 3rd-place finish in the APT Main Event.

5. Wutikrai Phraikhieo

Rounding out the top five of the top ten Thai poker players is Wutikrai Phraikhieo with a 2025 SPI Score of 10,699. Phraikhieo utilized 9 festival appearances to secure SPI earnings of $198,630. With 22 “In The Money” finishes, he remains a staple of the regional circuit, recognized for an adaptable and resilient tournament strategy.

Phraikhieo’s career-best live cash is TWD 3,831,000 (~$124,904), where he earned from the APT Championship 2025 with his runner-up finish in the Ultra Stack Championship event, contributing significantly to his total live earnings of $217,255.

6. Anusorn Asiralertsiri

Anusorn Asiralertsiri holds the 6th spot with a 2025 SPI Score of 9,158 among the top ten Thai poker players. Known for his selective approach, he attended only 6 festivals but managed to generate significant SPI earnings of $237,945. His technical precision in high-value events allowed him to maintain a top-tier ranking despite a lower volume of play.

His career-best score of $82,259 came from his 5th-place finish in the APT Main Event at APT Incheon 2025 . Asiralertsiri is noted for his deep runs in major APT tournaments, including a 3rd-place finish in the Single Day High Roller at the APT Championship (APTC) Taipei 2025 for TWD 531,000 (~$17,084), a 4th-place finish in the 7 Max Championship at the same series for TWD 1,678,200 (~$54,715).

7. Alex Wice

Ranked 7th in the top ten Thai poker players, Alex Wice is a high-stakes specialist who made his mark in 2025. Despite attending only 3 festivals, Wice achieved a 2025 SPI Score of 8,567. His focus on elite-tier events paid off financially, resulting in substantial SPI earnings of $911,675 from just 8 cashes, the second-highest earnings in the top ten.

Kwon for his early success as a high-stakes online multi-table tournament (MTT) grinder and his status as a successful player on the global high-roller circuit, Wice has accumulated nearly $2 million in total live earnings. His peak time in 2025 came from the APT Championship Taipei, where he secured a 2nd-place prize in the Super High Roller Championship for TWD 10,361,500 (~$331,575). Even so, his career-largest score came from a 3rd place finish in the EPT Main Event at the European Poker Tour Deauville in 2011.

8. Tharit Nanthana

Tharit Nanthana takes the 8th position among the top ten Thai poker players with a 2025 SPI Score of 6,879. Nanthana recorded 12 cashes across 16 events, maintaining a high level of efficiency. His efforts across 6 festivals resulted in total SPI earnings of $176,235, proving that steady participation is a viable path to the elite rankings.

Currently ranking 22nd on the Thailand All Time Money List, Nanthana’s career-best cash came from the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Taipei 2025, where he secured a 4th-place finish in the Zodiac Classic for TWD 2,832,500 (~$88,437).

9. Tanapatr Phanishsarn

Tanapatr Phanishsarn ranks 9th in the top ten Thai poker players with a 2025 SPI Score of 6,210. Phanishsarn was active throughout the year, recording 18 cashes across 8 festivals. While focusing on mid-stakes volume, his SPI earnings of $34,789 reflects a year of building consistency and gaining valuable experience on the regional stage.

His career-best score came from his triumph in the No Limit Hold’em – 25/50 at Grosvenor 25/50 Series in Leeds 2024 for GBP 13,000 (~$16,454), staying in front of his highest cash in 2025 for PHP 493,600 (~$8,491), which he earned in the Turbo Double Stack at APT Manila Classic .

10. Wisinee Tanpichai

Rounding out the top ten Thai poker players is Wisinee Tanpichai with a 2025 SPI Score of 6,184. Tanpichai displayed a relentless work ethic, participating in 27 events across 11 festivals and securing 22 cashes. Her season concluded with SPI earnings of $42,591, cementing her status as one of Thailand’s most persistent and elite competitors. Her most lucrative result to date occurred in the APT Incheon 2025 , where she competed in the Women’s High Roller and finished in 2nd place, earning a career-best score of KRW 11,900,000 (~$8,577).

Where to Play in Thailand

The legal landscape for live poker in Thailand is restrictive, with most forms of gambling prohibited under the Playing Card Act and recent ministerial directives.

• Current Prohibition: As of February 2026, all live poker tournaments and public club activities are strictly halted following Interior Ministry Order No. 2253/2568. This directive reversed a short-lived 2025 policy that briefly recognized poker as a “Mind Sport”.
• Legal Alternatives: Players currently have very few land-based legal options within Thailand, which are limited to the state lottery and sanctioned horse racing.
• UOB LIVE : Bangkok’s state-of-the-art entertainment arena, situated atop the EMSPHERE mall in the heart of Sukhumvit’s EM District. UOB LIVE made history by hosting the first-ever officially sanctioned international poker exhibition, the 2025 WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition, in Bangkok.

Thailand’s Poker Festivals

WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition (August 2025): Held at UOB Live Bangkok (EMSPHERE mall), this was the first sanctioned international poker event in the country. It drew over 2,300 entries, demonstrating Bangkok’s massive demand and capability as a world-class host for “Mind Sports”.

Advancing into 2026, the race for the next Player of the Year is already heating up. With top players like Punnat Punsri and Kiwanont Sukhum building on their 2025 successes, the competition promises even fiercer battles across high-stakes and high-volume events. Thai players continue to push the limits of skill and strategy on both regional and international stages.