The arrests took place yesterday during targeted inspections (Mar 10).
Officers apprehended two men for overstaying their visas. The suspects were identified only as ‘Mr Jay’, an Indian national who had overstayed by 668 days, and ‘Mr Shah’, a Pakistani national who had overstayed by 92 days.
Both men were charged with "being foreigners who entered and resided in the Kingdom after permission had expired”, Phuket Immigration confirmed.
The men were informed of their rights and transferred to investigation officers for legal proceedings.
In a separate raid, officers inspected a Chinese restaurant in Soi Naka, where they discovered a Chinese man, named only as ‘Mr Liquan’, 33, working as a cook.
On checking his documents, officials found that he had entered Thailand on a tourist visa and had been working without a work permit for two months.
Liquan was charged with “being an alien working without a work permit” and taken to Wichit Police Station for further legal action.
The restaurant owner is also facing charges for “hiring an alien to work without a work permit or allowing an alien to work beyond his rights” an offense under Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on the Management of Alien Employment B.E. 2561, Phuket Immigration noted.
The crackdown was conducted under the directives of high-ranking officials from the Royal Thai Police and the Immigration Bureau, including Immigration Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonnalak and other senior officers
Phuket Immigration emphasised that the latest arrests were part of a broader initiative to uphold the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 and other relevant laws governing foreign workers and businesses.
Phuket Immigration also urged the public to comply with Sections 37 and 38 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, which require accommodations to report the residency of foreign nationals.
Such measures were essential for maintaining security, ensuring legal compliance and enhancing confidence among tourists visiting the province, Phuket Immigration said in its reports.