The woman, 34, who gave her name as Oleg Tikhomirova (despite the fact that this is a man's name) was found working for Leong Speedy Travel on Phrabaramee Rd.
“Illegal Russian workers in Phuket is now a focus of our policy, and we check all tourism areas at least once a week,” said Capt Angkhan Yasanop.
“We found her while she was trying to sell a tour package to some tourists,” Capt Angkarn said. “So, we went to ask her to arrange a tour for us, and then arrested her.”
Unable to produce any paperwork, Tikhomirova told the police that she is Russian, and had worked for the tour company for a year. She told police that she believed the company had obtained a work permit for her, but did not know where it was.
She is currently being held for questioning and police will also investigate her employers to see whether they had contravened either the Immigration Act, by harbouring an illegal alien, or the Alien Working Act, by employing a foreigner without a work permit.