Tourist police and Director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket Office (MoTS), Santi Pawai, led a team of officers and arrested 23-year-old Wu Daolin and seized from him a list of tourist's names, four tour programs offered by Fong Yun Travel Co Ltd, six receipts for tour programs, 42 entry ticket to Similan National Park, and a number of membership cards for shops across the island.
Mr Santi explained, “The arrest came after an officer doing a routine patrol of the area spotted a Phang-nga registered minivan with Fong Yun Travel Co Ltd sign writing parked in the area.
“They then noticed Daolin conducting a tour for 20 Chinese tourists,” he said.
“After monitoring Daolin for a while, officers approached him and questioned him about the tour. Officers searched his bag and found all the seized items each which contained his name and some even had his photo on them,” he added.
Mr Santi said that the MoTS and tourist police work together to crack down on international crime, especially illegal tour guides, and keep an eye out for any foreigner that might come to the island for any illegal activity.
“Daolin told police that he worked as a guide assistant not as a tour guide so he did not have paperwork, however, he was taken to Chalong Police Station and we contacted the company to let them know about the arrest,” Mr Santi said.
Daolin has been charged with working as an illegal tour guide and working in Thailand on a temporary visa.