Illegal Russian, Estonian building workers arrested on Koh Pha Ngan
Thai Tourist Police officers arrested a Russian man and an Estonian man for illegally working at a construction site on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani.
The Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, Saksira Phueak-aum, recently launched a crackdown on illegal foreign workers on Koh Pha Ngan, leading to a thorough and continuous investigation of foreign nationals on the island.
Yesterday, January 29, officers raided a construction site on the island and arrested two foreigners, identified as 61 year old Russian Vladimir Konovalenko and 50 year old Estonian Jaanus Lelle. Police also seized their tools, including a welding machine, a grinder, and a nail gun.
Konovalenko admitted to his wrongdoing, stating that he worked as a structural iron and steel worker without a permit, earning 1,000 baht per day. Jaanus stated that he worked illegally as a carpenter and earned the same rate as Konovalenko.
Both men were detained at Koh Pha Ngan Police Station for violating Section 8 of the Foreigners’ Working Management Act by working without a permit. The penalty ranges from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation, and a two-year ban from applying for a work permit in Thailand.
In a similar crackdown on Koh Pha Ngan, a group of Russian, Ukrainian, and Burmese nationals were arrested on Tuesday, January 28, at an illegal childcare centre. The Russian national was reported to be the owner of the centre.
Another similar operation took place on the same day at a salon in the Rama 9 neighbourhood of Bangkok, where two Chinese and four Burmese nationals were arrested for working illegally and in a prohibited occupation. Police did not reveal the identity of the salon owner.
In a previous salon raid in Bangkok at the beginning of January, police arrested four South Korean nationals who were working illegally as hairdressers and barbers. The owner of the salon was also not mentioned in the report.
In September last year, a Canadian national was arrested for illegally working as a masseur and distributing ecstasy to drug users on Koh Pha Ngan.
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