RAYONG — Immigration Division 3 officers raided Hui Xiang Restaurant in Nikhom Phatthana District on Tuesday, uncovering an illegal workforce of Chinese and Myanmar nationals.
The eatery’s storefront signs, menus, and all interior labels were written entirely in Chinese, and it catered almost exclusively to Chinese customers. This is similar to the operation of what’s called “zero-dollar tours.”
Authorities found Mr. Guoqing, 30, and Mr. Wang, 48—both Chinese nationals on tourist visas—working without valid permits, alongside four Myanmar workers holding falsified documents.
Mr. Guoqing was responsible for taking food orders, attending to customers, and collecting payments from Chinese patrons. Mr. Wang worked as the cook. Both claimed that the restaurant owner was a Chinese woman named Ms. Jing, who hired them along with other Chinese and Myanmar nationals as employees. During the inspection, authorities were informed that Ms. JING had already returned to China.
Investigators also noted that patrons paid via WeChat Pay, Alipay, and a PromptPay QR code linked to a Thai account under the name “JING.”
All six were arrested on charges of “working without permission or beyond the scope allowed” and transferred to Nikhom Phatthana Police Station. Pol. Maj. Gen. Chairit Anurit, Commander of Immigration Division 3, warned that offenders will face visa revocation, blacklisting, and deportation.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Chairit disclosed that although the offense carries only a fine in court, those arrested will have their permission to stay in the kingdom revoked, be recorded as prohibited persons or “blacklisted” from entering the kingdom, and be deported to their countries of origin. The Immigration Bureau has measures to monitor both Thai and foreign nationals who have arrest warrants and track their entry and exit from Thailand.
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