According to an announcement made by Thai authorities on Thursday, two Chinese women were detained by Thai immigration authorities for working unlawfully at a traditional garment rental company located close to the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The arrests were made on February 27, 2025, as part of a concerted operation that included police from the Department of Employment, the Immigration Bureau, and the Tourist Police.
With no legitimate work permits, the suspects were discovered working in a section of the studio reserved exclusively for personnel. The sixty-day visa exemption scheme had allowed them to enter Thailand as tourists.
Public Tip-Off Leads to Arrests of Two Chinese Women in Bangkok
“This successful operation was the result of a public tip-off and demonstrates strong interagency cooperation between the Royal Thai Police and the Central Employment Registration and Jobseeker Protection Division of the Department of Employment,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Suriya Puangsombat, Deputy Superintendent of Investigation, after the operation. “This operation was successful because it utilised a public tip-off.”
Per the Emergency Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers’ Employment 2017 and its revisions, the women have been accused of working without the necessary authorisation.
The popularity of traditional clothes rental shops near Bangkok’s most well-known temples has increased in recent years. These shops allow tourists to dress in traditional Thai garb while they explore these cultural heritage sites.
One of the most lucrative enterprises near important tourist destinations, the service normally costs between 300 and 1,000 baht, equivalent to $10 to $30, for two hours. The price range is determined by the included ornaments and accessories.
The Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, Police Lieutenant General Phanumas Boonyalak, has ordered immigration officers all around Thailand to increase their enforcement operations, with a particular emphasis on patrolling areas known to be associated with criminal activities.
Those in authority encourage members of the public to report incidents of a similar nature by calling the Immigration Bureau’s hotline at 1178.
