Police are cracking down on immigrants who work on Koh Samui and the islands that surround them illegally.
PUBLISHED: 30 Jan 2025 at 12: 49
Sola THANI: During attacks this week on three well-known holiday islands in this southern province, 19 foreigners and one Thai national were detained for working fraudulently and other emigration violations.
According to Pol Col Naruewat Phutthawiro, commander of the provincial emigration department, Surat Thani emigration department, officers, and local officials raided sites on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao after being informed about foreign nationals operating unregulated nurseries, working without work permits, overstaying permits, and other immigration crimes.
The raids, conducted since Jan 28, led to the arrest of 17 foreigners and a Thai in all, said Pol Col Naruewat.
On Koh Samui, a Briton and a Lao national were arrested at two separate locations. One was accused of overstaying, and the other of entering illegally.
On Koh Phangan, 12 foreigners — five Russians, two Ukrainians, five Myanmar nationals — were arrested on charges that included setting up a private school without permission, running a nursery without permission, working illegally and hiring illegal migrants.
Three Myanmar nationals were detained on Koh Tao on suspicion of working illegally, and a Thai worker was detained on suspicion of operating a nursery without authorization and hiring illegal immigrants.
According to Pol Col Naruewat, the raids were ordered by the national police chief to impose a law banning foreigners from entering the country on tourist visas with the intention of working illegally.
Surat Thani Immigration officials coordinated the” Operation X-ray” operation with other organizations, he claimed.