On Thursday (May 2) they arrested seven people and on Friday (May 3) nine more were caught. Only two, however, were Chinese. Of the remaining 14, all were Thai apart from one whose nationality could not immediately be established.
Two were found to be in possession of crystal amphetamine (ya ice).
Those arrested on Thursday were Thais Aga Sae-Zhang, aged 33, Sunti Sae-Tang, 24, Premmin Sae-Ming, 26, Taijuin Sae-Lee, 27, Pongsak Sae-Chung, 34, and Suchart Sae-Li, 22.
Also caught was Lang Mungmee, 28, who was not able to demonstrate his nationality. He and Aga were the two found to be carrying ya ice.
On May 3, the tourist police arrested nine more illegal tour guides. Seven were Thais: Ratchanart Sae-Bang, 26, Surachai Sae-Ju, 30, Wittaya Jai-Ngamsakul, 28, Itthi Sae-Zhang, 35, Paisarn Zhoupitaksakul, Tongsuk Sae-Liang, 24, and Prasith Charoenyuthakarn, 36.
The two Chinese were named as Suriyan Sae-Yang, 36, and YongPing Sae-Wang, 29.
Pol Maj Urumporn Khundejsumrit, Inspector of Phuket Tourist Police, told The Phuket News, “We caught them red handed, leading tours in Phuket Town without official guide licenses.
“We are going to tourist sites every day and checking, though some have been able to evade us. Those we arrested were sent to Phuket City Police to be charged.”
On Monday (April 29), more than 100 Chinese-speaking Thai guides protested at Phuket Provincial Hall about Chinese nationals working illegally as tour guides, “grabbing jobs” from Thais.
Vice-Governor Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak promised a crackdown but warned that this might also end in unlicensed Thai guides being arrested. This now seems to be happening rather emphatically.