PHUKET — Immigration Police have arrested a Chinese national for working illegally as a chef and detained two South Asian men for overstaying their visas during a recent operation targeting foreigners suspected of violating immigration laws in Phuket.
On March 10, immigration officers conducted an inspection at a Chinese restaurant in Soi Naka, Wichit Sub-district, Mueang Phuket District, where they discovered a 33-year-old Chinese man, identified only as Mr. Li, preparing food in the kitchen. When officers requested to see his documentation, they found he had entered Thailand on a tourist visa.
Mr. Li admitted to working illegally as a chef at the restaurant for approximately two months without a proper work permit. He was charged with being a foreigner working without a work permit and was transferred to Wichit Police Station for legal proceedings.
The restaurant owner who employed Mr. Li is also facing charges for “hiring a foreigner without a work permit or allowing a foreigner to work beyond permitted rights.”
During the same operation, immigration officers arrested two additional foreign nationals for overstaying their visas: Mr. Jay, an Indian national who had overstayed his visa by 668 days and Mr. Shah, a Pakistani national who had overstayed his visa by 92 days.
Both men were charged with “being foreigners entering and staying in the Kingdom after their permission had expired.”
Phuket Immigration Police emphasized the importance of proper accommodation registration, noting that with the high volume of tourists visiting Phuket, this practice helps authorities monitor foreign nationals in the area, investigate potential violations, and ensure the safety of both tourists and residents.
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