Latest ‘Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’ nets UK and Nigerian overstayers, both over 1,000 days

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The crackdown on serial overstayers continues across the country, including a British national arrested in Phuket.

53 year old Chris Michel was bundled up on Friday morning after it was revealed that he had overstayed his visa by 1077 days, nearly 3 years.

62 foreign nationals were detained in the latest ‘Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’, targeting 75 locations across the country.

The areas targeted in the latest raids include Bangkok, Phuket and Hua Hin. As in the past, it was mainly language schools and secondary schools raided – 13 secondary schools were included in Friday’s raids.

62 foreigners and 11 Thais have been detained. Charges relate mostly to overstays but include other charges. Suspects are from Vietnam, Myanmar, Nigeria, Laos, UK, India and Malaysia.

35 year old Nigerian Okerie Victor Ugiochukwa was found to have overstayed his visa for 1,387 days. 23 year old Indian Ravindran Singh was arrested in Hua Hin having overstayed his visa 219 days.

The Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner has so far netted 1,832 foreign citizens during raids on over 4,000 premises across Thailand. The operation is being led by Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy Tourist Police Bureau chief.