Tourist Police confirm round up of Phuket dive instructors

PHUKET: Tourist Police joined forces with the Chalong Police yesterday afternoon and took into custody more than 20 dive instructors as they disembarked from their respective dive tour boats at Chalong Pier.

“I don’t think the Chalong Police pressed charges. To my knowledge, the dive shop staffers were taken to Chalong Police Station to have their work permits checked,” Urumporn Koondejsumrit of the Phuket Tourist Police told the Phuket Gazette.

“I assume they all had work permits, which is why none of them were charged.”

However, the Chalong Police duty officer at the station at the time of the raid told the Gazette today that he knew nothing about the arrests.

“I was on duty yesterday evening, but I don’t know anything about the arrests,” Capt Thada Sodarak said.

“I saw some foreigners walking around outside, but I don’t know what it was about. I would have been informed if charges were brought against any of them.”

— Chutharat Plerin