Danai Jaikeuk, the Chief Administrative Office (Palad) for Security at the Mueang Phuket District Office reported yesterday that the Cambodian man was arrested in the car park next to Karon Municipality at about 5pm on Wednesday (Jan 11).
Acting on complaints posted online, a team of officials from the Mueang Phuket District Office, accompanied by personnel from the Volunteer Defense Corps (OrSor), arrived at Kata Beach and observed him selling e-cigarettes to foreign tourists on sunbeds on the beach.
The officers then followed him up to the car park, where one of the officers presented himself to 44-year-old Cambodian national Mon Man and identified himself as an official.
Mr Man was found with 79 e-cigarettes (43 large, 26 medium and 10 small) in his brown shoulder bag. Officers also seized the B4,360 cash Mr Man had on him, presumed from selling the e-cigarettes.
Mr Danai said that the circumstances of the arrest were due to complaints that there are aliens (sic) patrolling and selling e-cigarettes along Kata-Karon beach, “causing a lot of annoyance to tourists”.
Mr Mon was very cooperative with officials, Mr Danai said. He openly admitted that he sold e-cigarettes to tourists. He added that he had been living in Thailand for 15 years.
Regardless, Mr Mon was taken to Karon Police Station and charged under the Customs Act for selling products prohibited from being imported into the country. He was also charged specifically for selling e-cigarettes under a regulation by the Consumer Protection Board
Mr Mon was also charged with working illegally in Thailand, and for entering and staying in the Kingdom illegally.
Capricornball | 13 January 2023 - 13:51:12