Immigration police show off arrests of foreign criminals in Thailand

Officers from Thailand’s Immigration Bureau held a press conference on Friday to reveal the results of five ‘important’ recent criminal cases in the kingdom involving foreign perpetrators. Immigration police are hunting down foreign criminals in Thailand ahead of the APEC meeting in Bangkok later this month.

Police recently announced a crackdown on foreign criminals to ensure the safety and security of world leaders attending the APEC Summit in Bangkok from November 17-18.

On Thursday, Deputy Police Chief and former Chief of the Immigration Bureau Big Joke implored police and immigration officials to track down foreigners in Thailand who have overstayed their visas.

Case 1 – Thai police arrest wanted Korean fraudster

Thai police arrested 62 year old Boon Su (pseudonym), of Korean nationality, wanted by police in Korea. During 2016-17, Boon Su allegedly defrauded Koreans of more than 100 million baht by convincing them to invest in a “clothing business” he claimed he ran in Bangkok.

Case 2 – Thai police arrest wanted Austrian fraudster hiding in southern Thailand

Thai police arrested a 50 year old Austrian man named “Marko” (pseudonym), wanted on a European Arrest Warrant (EAW), at a hotel in Phang Nga province in southern Thailand. Marko allegedly committed seven counts of bankruptcy and social security fraud. He has already been sent back to Austria to face prosecution.

Case 3 – Thai police crack Chinese gambling rink in Bangkok

Thai police arrested 56 Chinese nationals in the Suan Luang and Hua Mak districts of Bangkok under suspicion of operating two illegal gambling websites. Police said the suspects were receiving between 40,000 – 70,000 baht salary each per month and had all entered Thailand on tourist visas. Police found more than 500 million baht in circulation.

Case 4 – Police arrest 88 people attempting to illegally cross into Thailand

A total of 88 people were arrested by Thai police for attempting to cross into Thailand illegally through land borders in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Kanchanaburi provinces recently. The arrests were made following a crackdown on foreigners working illegally in Pathum Thani province.

Case 5 – Police arrest Indian who overstayed his visa by 1,084 days in Thailand

Thai police arrested a 30 year old Indian fraudster named Kamales (pseudonym) who overstayed his visa in Thailand by 1,084 days (almost three years). Police said he was living in Pathum Thani province just north of Bangkok. However, Kamales started to have problems with locals so he moved to Surin province in northeast Thailand.

Police arrested Kamales under suspicion of fraud. Police said Kamales was posing as an “influential person” and had convinced Indians in Thailand to give him money by claiming he had connections in the Thai police force. Upon his arrest, police found Kamales had overstayed his visa by nearly three years.