They were alleged to have had no work mandates and had earned between 200 and 350 bass for lessons.
PUBLISHED: 7 Feb 2025 at 12: 03
During assaults at two speech school branches in Bangkok, eight North Korean nationals were detained for using their permits to teach English.
According to Pol Maj Gen Prasart Khemaprasit, the Immigration Bureau ( IB ) commander, the raids took place on Thursday at a branch on Ratchadaphisek Road and another one in a shopping mall in Bang Na. The name of the class was never disclosed.
Six Asian language teachers and two ladies were apprehended by police. They had officially entered Thailand, with the majority holding 90-day free permits, while others were staying there through marriage to Thai nationals. None of them had labor grants, Pol Maj Gen Prasart said.
The learning place consisted of some rooms, each equipped with chalkboards and TV screens. Officers discovered brochures promoting different courses at various prices and training books for students.
The suspects claimed to have been hired by a Thai school’s landlord, who was merely a Wipha. They earned 200 baht per minute for virtual lessons and 350 ringgit for on-site groups, receiving payment in cash or via mobile bank.
The suspects ‘ operating hours were longer than a month apart.
Under the Working of Alien Act, the Thai firm was accused of employing foreigners without authorization.
According to Pol Maj Gen Prasart, the imprisonment was a part of a joint effort by the IB and the Department of Employment to combat the improper work of foreigners.