Immigration steps up controls

PHUKET TOWN: As part of Phuket Immigration’s plan to tighten immigration control, more than 100 hotel employees attended a workshop at the Phuket Immigration Office on Friday night. Speaking at the workshop, Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Office, said, “The seminar is aimed at training hotel staff, especially front office staff, in what to do if they see a guest doing something wrong, in how to identify a genuine passport and in how to report incidents to the Immigration Office.” In addition to the workshop, Col Apirak explained, the plan includes greater attention being given to checking flight passenger lists for blacklisted names and increasing the number of officers at the airport’s passport control area.