Two of the men were arrested leading a tour at Chalong Pier, while the other two were caught working as “pre-wedding” photographers in Phuket Town.
Phuket Labour Office Chief Suthipong Saisakares, who heads the task force, reported that 24-year-old Myanmar national Kun Put and Saingyong Saechen, 24, were arrested at Chalong Pier.
“They were arrested after officials checked Chalong Pier area at 11:30am and found them leading a tour group,” said Mr Suthipong.
Kun Put was allegedly working illegally as a tour guide and working without a permit for tour company Freedom Phuket Co Ltd, Mr Suthipong said.
Saingyong was working for Bing Diving, Mr Suthipong said, but officials reportedly were unable to confirm his nationality.
“Officers spotted Kun Put leading a tour group down the pier. He was holding a company flag and giving a tour to the group. Officers approached the two (Kun Put and Saingyong) and asked to see identification and work permits, which they did not have,” Mr Suthipong said
“We found 33 ‘pieces of snorkel parts’ (sic) in Siangyong’s bag, which he said was for his tour group,” Mr Suthipong added.
Also yesterday, the task force arrested Chinese nationals Zheng Hongrong, 26, and Wen Yong, 29, in Phuket Town.
“Phuket Damrongdhama Centre (Provincial Ombudsman’s Office) received a call from local residents reporting that two foreign photographers were taking pre-wedding pictures in tourist attraction areas and causing a public nuisance,” Mr Suthipong said.
“So we sent another team to investigate, and they found Wen taking a photo shoot of a couple on Thalang Rd,” he said.
“Another Chinese photographer, Zheng, was arrested on Yaowarat Rd while he was shooting pre-wedding photos of a couple sitting in a tuk-tuk,” he added.
Kun Put and Saingyong taken to Chalong Police Station to be charged with working illegally as a tour guide and working in Thailand without a permit, said Mr Suthipong.
Zheng and Wen were taken to Phuket City Police Station to be charged with working in Thailand without a permit, he added.
No mention was made of what happened to the tourists at Chalong Pier who were left without their tour guides, or whether any investigation was ensuing into whether or not Siangyong was able to prove that he had entered the country legally.