Phuket school probe into illegally hiring foreign teachers ‘will take time’

Phuket school probe into illegally hiring foreign teachers ‘will take time’

PHUKET: Chalong Police have yet to begin their investigation into an international primary school in Rawai for allegedly hiring foreigners illegally to work as teachers, the leading investigator in the case has told The Phuket News.

By The Phuket News

Tuesday 24 November 2020, 09:00AM

Chalong Police Station Photo: The Phuket News / file

Chalong Police were requested to investigate Palm House International School for possible illegal hiring practices after two British nationals were arrested at the school on Nov 4 by officers from Phuket Immigration.

Capt Somkiet Sarasin of the Chalong Police, the leading investigator in the case, told The Phuket News yesterday (Nov 23) that the two Brits were both informed that police were processing a charge of working illegally in the country against them.

Both denied the charge and were released on bail on the same day that they were arrested (Nov 4), Capt Somkiet has now confirmed.

Capt Somkiet said he was unable to confirm the bail amount set by police.

He also declined to reveal the explanation given by the two Brits to explain what they were doing at the school at the time they were arrested.

Capt Somkiet said he believed the two Brits were not flight risks. “They are still staying in Thailand. I am not worried. I have their passports,” he said.

Capt Somkiet declined to give any further details about the Brits arrested.

“I am not available to explain [any details] because the investigation is still ongoing,” he said.

“This is normal for an investigation when the suspects deny the charge against them. I have to check more information against their claims. This case will probably be concluded next month,” he added.

Capt Somkiet also confirmed that the investigation into the school, as requested by Phuket Immigration, had yet to begin.

“I have not even questioned the owner of the school,” he said.

“The investigation into the school will take time. The investigation into the two British people must be finished first,” Capt Somkiet said.

Pascale | 25 November 2020 - 18:21:53

..so much about them ?  
In my opinion it only confirms again that you are a simple Troll and your own real life must be of a very sad nature.

Pascale | 25 November 2020 - 18:12:39

..never occurs again ? And btw, the probably now"former"director is a foreigner ! And regarding that I would have no clue about real life , I wonder if your real life experience comes from your self isolation and your"avoiding of locals {Thai's} at all costs" ( that are your own words from an earlier post ) ? As you therefore do not know many Thai's, how come you know s...

Pascale | 25 November 2020 - 17:58:17

Lallala, all you do is coming up with unproven assumptions.Even your sayings about that 'Fixer" in the past could be a product of your fantasies. And if there were brown envelopes involved,who did pay that "Fixer"to do so?" And now ask yourself:" Why gave the school a statement,that they would interview a new director,to ensure that this type of "misunderstanding&...

LALALA | 25 November 2020 - 15:13:12

Pascale, you have no clue about real life. It is very much possible that the Thai fixer and his contact in the immigration were both involved in this case. Eventually some brown envelopes have been involved but paperwork haven't been executed as agreed. One reason why I never did and never will do any business with Thai people. They can not be trusted.

Pascale | 25 November 2020 - 11:39:49

@LALALA  Read the original article ! They were caught without a work permit. So your mentioning of the Thai person facilitating permits in the past is useless. The person who hired them is responsible for the correct paperwork.

Kurt | 25 November 2020 - 11:20:21

@ LALALA. Interesting what you wrote. Well, one can not expect that Thai Immigration- and Thai Police Depts are biting each other ( read: throwing each other for the bus). Perhaps, now they are puzzling together how to close this affair silently. That is perhaps why so dar investigation not even started.

Pascale | 25 November 2020 - 09:08:34

Kurt,the founder and the director are foreigners ! Maybe you should ask LALALA about their nationality, as he knows so much about this school in particular. Interesting what one  learns from business trips to Thailand. Or maybe just a stuffed shirt.

LALALA | 25 November 2020 - 07:29:34

Pascale, there are Thais involved. I know from the past that this school had a Thai person who had close connections to immigration who enrolled their children in this school. This person was facilitating visas and permits. Actually every school in LOS has such a person to speed up visa processing. This person was facilitating visas and permits.

Kurt | 25 November 2020 - 00:14:26

@Pascale,  doing nothing, investigation has yet to begin, is not a 'delay'! That is just obstruction of normal justice procedures. For one, and for one reason only. Yes, Pascale, good questions you ask. Why do we until now not know the nationality of the director or 'founder'? Perhaps RTP did bump into 'something influential'. Affair will become just a cover up, started alr...

Pascale | 24 November 2020 - 14:59:52

Typical Kurt,his first thought is that the delay is about to keep Thai's involved out of the wind. As if foreigners would never be involved in illegal activities. How about to read about the nationality of the director or founder of that school before spilling further assumptions.

Kurt | 24 November 2020 - 11:24:23

When you read this article, line after line, you not believe your eyes. Unable-Declining-Believing-Not available-Not even questioned owner of the school. Investigation, asked for by Immigration has yet to begin. What is one thinking after reading all this? Thoughts come up: Incompetence, corruption, take time to cover up and keep Thai involved ( school owner, etc) out of the wind.