Finnish tourist arrested for overstaying visa

KARON: A 40-year-old Finnish tourist was arrested in Karon yesterday for overstaying his visa – by eight months. Pol Lt Teerawat Liumsuwan of the Chalong Police Station told the Gazette that the tourist, whom he named as Arto Mikel Kivela, arrived in Phuket from Finland on March 10 last year and stayed at the Sompit Bar in Karon Center. Having entered on a tourist visa, Kivela should have left Thailand on April 8. But, police said, he had apparently decided to remain in Karon, where he was finally arrested on December 9 after police received a call from the owner of the bar. Kivela is now residing in the Phuket Town Police Station where he faces a sentence of up to seven days in jail, followed by deportation to Finland.