Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Col Akanit Phithaksart, who only two years ago served as Patong Police Chief, led inspections of five venues on Wednesday night (Sept 7).
Joining Col Akanit for the “random” inspections were Immigration officers, Kathu District officials and officers from the Patong Police Station.
The five venues inspected were Hollywood Phuket, Barfunk Phuket, Illuzion Phuket, Sugar and New York Live Music Bar.
Officers questioned foreigners found working as singers, musicians and DJs at the venues, but all the foreigners singled out for checks were found to be working legally.
Regardless, the officers warned the venue operators against illegally hiring any foreigners and to “strictly and accurately comply with the laws and regulations”.
Col Akanit said that further “random” inspections would continue “to ensure that no wrongdoing is found, especially regarding foreign workers working illegally without work permits”.
The inspections follow a group of disgruntled workers in the local entertainment industry filing an official letter of complaint urging authorities to act on the number of illegal workers across the island.
The group submitted the complaint to the Damrongtham Center (Provincial Office of the Ombudsman) last month, stating that illegal workers were taking jobs of Thais and thus denying them an opportunity to make a living.
Phromphiriya Thammaupatham, 37, representing the group, explained that a huge proportion of people working in Phuket’s service and entertainment venues such as pubs and bars were foreigners who were usually not permitted to work.
“Many people are on tourist visas or do not have the necessary work documents to allow them to legally work here,” he said.