Chiang Mai karaoke bar raided, 12 illegal workers detained

Chiang Mai police raided a covert karaoke bar in the city centre on May 23 after residents complained about noise, detaining 12 Myanmar nationals found working without properly registered employers.

The operation was led by Police Major General Olan Iampraphat of Tourist Police Division 2 and Police Colonel Phisanu Triamdee, with Police Lieutenant Colonel Avirut Sookyaem conducting the inspection alongside Chang Phueak police officers.

During the raid, 12 Myanmar nationals were found working as musicians and staff. While they held valid work permits, the registered employer listed in their documents did not match their actual employer. All 12 were charged under the decree governing foreign workers, which requires employees to report employment details to the registrar within 15 days of starting work.

The inspection was triggered by complaints that the venue had become a gathering spot for Myanmar migrant workers and was causing noise disturbances in the area.

Preliminary investigations found the bar had been operating since the Songkran festival, primarily serving Myanmar nationals and labour groups. A Thai manager was found overseeing the operation.

The 12 detainees were handed over to Chang Phueak police for legal proceedings. Investigators are now tracing financial transactions to identify the business owner and financiers behind the operation, reported KhaoSod.

In related news, Thailand’s government is under pressure to fast-track migrant work permit renewals, particularly for Cambodian workers, to protect key industries, the Thai Chamber of Commerce warned on Friday.