Foreign worker crackdown: 17 nabbed in Chon Buri street job sting
Officials raided 6 sites, detaining 17 foreign workers illegally employed
It was a morning of raids, arrests and shocked shopfronts as Thai police swooped in on street vendors and salons suspected of illegally employing foreign workers.
The Chon Buri Employment Office, led by Phuwakorn Toshingkhon, teamed up with the Provincial Labour Office under Chalermphon Niamsakul and the Internal Security Operations Command yesterday, July 4, to launch a sweeping inspection operation across Bang Lamung and Sattahip districts.
Their mission? To tackle growing complaints that foreign nationals were filling jobs strictly reserved for Thai citizens. These occupations included selling chicken kebabs, cheese and ice cream from kerbside stalls, along with offering beauty services such as hairdressing and manicures.
Over the course of the operation, officials targeted six locations identified through tip-offs and previous monitoring. The raids proved fruitful: 17 foreign workers were detained for violating employment regulations.
Among those arrested were seven Laotian women, eight Cambodian nationals—six men and two women—and two Myanmar citizens, one man and one woman.
Officers escorted the group to local police stations for processing and further legal action. Six were taken to Bang Lamung Police Station, four to Nongprue Police Station, and the remaining seven to Plutaluang Police Station.
“These individuals are facing charges under Section 8 of the Foreigners’ Working Management Emergency Decree 2017, along with penalties outlined in Section 101. They were either working without valid permits or carrying out duties beyond the scope of their authorisation,” a spokesperson said.
But the workers themselves aren’t the only ones in trouble. Employers who engaged them are also being charged under Section 9, which carries strict penalties under Section 102 of the same law. Investigators confirmed that legal proceedings against these business owners have already began, reported The Pattaya News.
Officials emphasised that the crackdown is part of an ongoing effort to protect jobs legally reserved for Thai nationals and to enforce compliance among businesses that rely on migrant labour.
“The public is encouraged to report any suspected illegal employment so we can continue to uphold the law and ensure fair opportunities for Thai workers,” the Employment Office said in a statement.
As enforcement ramps up, businesses in Chon Buri are urged to double-check paperwork and ensure all staff have the correct permissions before putting them to work—or risk facing steep fines and criminal charges.
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