PHUKET, Thailand – Police arrested 556 foreigners in July as authorities crack down on illegal work and visa violations.
Among those held were 129 from Myanmar, 78 Russians and 46 Chinese. Traffic offences made up the bulk with 434 arrests.
Arrests hit 556 in July
Between 1 and 31 July, provincial police detained 556 foreigners. The haul included 129 Myanmar nationals, 78 Russians and 46 Chinese citizens, with 245 from other nationalities.
Traffic offences accounted for 434 cases. Another 51 were held for illegal work, 34 for other violations, 22 for drug offences and 15 for overstaying their visas.
The 556 arrests do not represent the total foreign workforce in the province. A full breakdown of legally registered foreign workers by nationality is not available.
Controls target three districts
Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum ordered his deputy, Pol Lt Col Khetarat Chansilp, to lead inspections of businesses suspected of using illegal foreign labour.
Controls will focus on Mueang Phuket, Thalang and Kathu. Authorities will check the validity of work permits and visas, and whether employment complies with Thai law.
Group calls for Phuket model
The group known as Thai Mai Tonn handed over information to provincial officials about foreigners allegedly carrying out jobs reserved for Thai nationals. It also reported companies that use Thais as nominee shareholders for foreigners.
Chairman and leader of the group is Akkarawut Kraisisombat. The group demands a more consistent crackdown on illegal work and suspected nominee businesses.
The meeting took place on Thursday, 6 August, at Phuket Provincial Hall. It was chaired by Rewat Onla-or, acting head of the Policy, Planning and Intelligence Group of the Internal Security Operations Command in Phuket.
Market on Ranong Road in spotlight
A key complaint targets the market on Ranong Road in Phuket Town. According to the group, trading there continues late into the night and includes advertising in the Myanmar language.
Thai Mai Tonn claims foreigners are involved in retail, beauty salons, brokerage and other activities restricted by the Labour Ministry. Authorities must now check whether their permits and stay documents are valid.
Nearly 90,000 foreign workers on record
In Phuket, 10,889 companies employ foreign workers. In the main sectors listed, 89,982 foreign workers were reported, mostly in construction, services, food and drink, wholesale and retail, street vending and domestic work.
By legal categories, 17,041 workers were permitted under Section 59 of the Foreign Workers Administration Act, 53 under Section 62, 208 under Section 63/1 and 95,486 under Section 63/2. These figures do not show how many workers are doing jobs forbidden to foreigners.
Company ownership under probe
Phuket has 32,024 registered legal entities with a registered capital of 240.6 billion baht. In 11,078 companies, foreign shareholders hold between 0.001 and 49.99 per cent of shares. Another 146 companies have foreign shareholders with more than 50 per cent.
The most common nationalities among foreign shareholders are Russians, Chinese, British, French and Australians. Authorities are checking for nominee structures where Thais hold shares on behalf of foreigners. Sectors affected include land and real estate, tourism, e-commerce, transport and storage, hotels and resorts, construction and agriculture.
62 cases in third investigation phase
The province is currently investigating 62 cases of suspected foreign nominee structures. Fifty cases remain open, four are at court and eight have been closed.
A first group covers 25 companies in 23 cases related to nominee structures. A second group involves 39 companies in 39 cases of suspected illegal foreign land ownership.
Land sold after closed cases
In the eight closed cases, land totalling 15 rai and 13 square wah – Thai land units – was forcibly sold. These cases are part of the investigation into suspected illegal foreign land ownership.