Illegal wedding photographers snapped up in Phuket Town

PHUKET: Two wedding photographers were caught working without work permits yesterday after police were tipped off by a pair of Thai wedding photographers.

Chinese photographers Bolin Zhu and Jing Wang, both 27, were taking pre-wedding photographs of a couple on Soi Romanee in Phuket Town when police arrived at the scene.

“We asked them to show us their work permits, but they were unable to produce them, so we took both men to the Phuket Immigration Office for questioning,” said Phuket Immigration Inspector Tianchai Chompoo.

Mr Bolin and Mr Jing told police that they charged 1,500 baht per couple to shoot photographs in scenic Phuket locations, Maj Tianchai said.

Both men confessed to working without a work permit and were taken to Phuket City Police Station.

They each face a fine of up to 100,000 baht, five years in jail or both. They may also be deported within 30 days, Maj Tianchai said.

In February, two Chinese wedding photographers, a Chinese makeup artist and the owner of a Phuket photography studio that specialized in Chinese wedding photographs were arrested for working without work permits while shooting pre-wedding photos in Old Town Phuket (story here).

— Kritsada Muanhawong