Eight held in immigration sweeps

PHUKET TOWN: Eight foreigners were arrested by Immigration Police yesterday and today in a series of sweeps through Patong, Kata and Karon. The raids coincided with a visit to Phuket by Pol Lt Gen Chanvut Vajrabukka, the Bangkok-based Director of Immigration, who came to Phuket to “motivate the Phuket office” in their work tracking down foreigners staying or working illegally in Phuket. Three of the eight were arrested for working without work permits. They were named as Manveer Negi, 23, from India; Mohammed Kanj Daou, 26, from Lebanon; and Eriamu Joseph Banda, 44, from Malawi. Negi was found working as a receptionist at the Cleopatra Restaurant on the beach road, while Banda was working as a cook in the Gadaffi Restaurant on Phra Baramee Rd, Patong. Daou was caught selling barbecued food from a trolley opposite the Immigration Office in Patong. An American named as Reginald Darius Richardson, 50, was arrested at his home on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, while another Lebanese, named as Kanj Fares Daou, 69, was found at the Café Pizzeria, opposite the Club Andaman Beach Resort. Both were charged with remaining in Thailand after their visas had expired. Musa Abbel Karim, 39, of Sudan, was also working as a cook at the Gadaffi Restaurant, while Lachumann, 50, from Burma, was working as a cook at the Cleopatra Restaurant. These two were charged with both illegally entering the country and working without work permits. The eighth man, Ahmed Mohammed Abdo Alaomari, a 29-year-old Yemeni, was stopped as he walked along the beach road near the Immigration Office. It was found that his passport was expired on the October 1. “Foreigners can be either good or bad guys. We don’t know who they are, but we are willing to accept the first type,” said Gen Chanvut. “We have to check their documents very closely before allowing them into our country. We also need the help of Thai citizens to watch for unusual foreigners.” Gen Chanvut said that an improvement in information systems among government departments was needed for faster and better tracking of foreigners. He also acknowledged that corruption among some government officials may be hindering the process as well. “And if we find out who is corrupt, they will be prosecuted immediately,” he added. Two more foreigners caught in the sweep were released after it was found that their papers were in order. The owners of the Gadaffi and Cleopatra restaurants are expected to be called for questioning later, said Pol Capt Jatuporn Navamart, Inspector of Immigration Office. He added that the sweeps through Kata and Karon had drawn a blank, but that more checks would be made in those areas.