KOH PHANGAN — Russian retiree and Ukrainian teenager arrested on Koh Phangan for illegally working in Thailand, renting out vehicles advertised in Russian Telegram groups
On September 2, the Tourist Police revealed that in cooperation with the Koh Phangan District Chief, the District Security Investigation Officer, Koh Phangan Police Station, Tourist Police, and Koh Phangan Immigration Police, they conducted an operation to check on foreign workers illegally engaged in occupations reserved for Thai nationals. They arrested two foreigners on Sunday.
Andrei, aged 60, a Russian national, was apprehended at an unnumbered house along Thong Sala-Ban Nai Wok Road, Moo 1, Koh Phangan Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province. He was charged with “being a foreigner working without a work permit.” A Mazda car with Surat Thani license plate was seized as evidence.
Dmytro, aged 18, a Ukrainian national, was caught in a hotel parking lot in Moo 4, Koh Phangan Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province, on the same charge. A Yamaha motorcycle with Lopburi license plate was seized as evidence.
Andrei confessed to illegally renting out cars, advertising through online channels, specifically the Telegram application. He collected a deposit of 15,000 baht per person as a guarantee from customers, who were mostly Russians residing in Koh Phangan District.
Dmytro, who came to Thailand to study, wanted to earn extra income and had been renting out vehicles for about two months. Recently, he advertised a motorcycle for rent in Andrei’s Telegram group for Russians living in Koh Phangan District.
His rental rates were: 10,000 baht for one month, 699 baht per day for 1-3 days, 599 baht per day for 3-9 days, 499 baht per day for 10-20 days, and 399 baht per day for 20-29 days.
Both were taken to Koh Phangan Police Station for legal proceedings. Under Thai law, Section 8 states that foreigners working without a work permit or working beyond their permitted rights face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation to their home country, and a two-year ban on applying for a work permit from the date of punishment.
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