Crime
Police Nab Canadian and Russian for Working Illegally in Southern Thailand
Police in southern Thailand have arrested two foreigners on the tourist islands of Koh Phangan and Phuket for working illegally. The foreigners were from Canada and Russia.
Police reported that Canadian national Gabriel Vachon, 46, was arrested on Monday afternoon at the Two Rocks hotel on Koh Phangan, where he was charging people 1,500 baht per hour for kite surfing lessons but didn’t have the necessary licenses. Police seized kite-surfing equipment worth around 200,000 baht.
At 8.20 p.m. on the same day, police apprehended Russian Georgii Batalov, 33, at the Eywa Bar on the island in Surat Thani province. He admitted that he was running the bar without a license and was in the country on a tourist visa.
Thailand’s Immigration Police and the Employment Department are cracking down on foreigners working illegally in Thailand. Last month, 721 foreigners were held for working as street sellers, hairdressers, drivers, and masseurs after residents complained.
The concerns focused on tourist attractions such as Phuket, Koh Samui, and Krabi.
The Employment Department investigated 25,628 enterprises across the country in the first half of fiscal 2024 (October 1-March 18) and filed legal action against 820 of them for illegally recruiting foreigners in reserved jobs.
It also investigated 306,577 foreigners and filed legal action against 1,689 of them. Of these, 721 were accused with working in jobs reserved for Thais, while the remainder were charged with additional offenses. Bangkok and its neighboring regions, as well as Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, and Chiang Mai, were home to the majority of foreign workers in Thailand.
Myanmar had the greatest contingent, with 316 persons arrested, followed by Cambodians (175), Laotians (106), Indians (65) Vietnamese (42), Chinese (5), and 12 other countries.
Working illegally in Thailand can result in heavy fines or possibly jail time. Violations of immigration laws result in expulsion. Undocumented workers frequently experience exploitation, hazardous working conditions, and a lack of labor rights.
It is critical to secure the necessary work licenses and visas to ensure your safety and prevent legal problems. Legitimate job prospects exist, but they involve navigating intricate restrictions. Before looking for work in Thailand, consult with an immigration professional.
