German captain arrested in Phuket over unlicensed yacht tour
A German national was arrested yesterday, March 12, after officials responded to a tip-off about alleged unlicensed tour activity linked to a sailing yacht named Moana in Phuket.
The arrest came after the Tourism Business and Guide Registration Office under the Department of Tourism, working with Phuket Marine Police and Phuket Tourist Police, inspected Moana, a sailing yacht operating in the Andaman Sea.
The man, identified only as a German captain, was found on board during the inspection alongside six German tourists. Officials said preliminary checks indicated the yacht had been rented from a Phuket-based company.
During questioning, the tourists reportedly told officers they had booked the trip through a website and paid the full cost through the company. They described the product as an Andaman Sea sailing package running continuously for 11 days.
Officers then checked the Department of Tourism’s guide registration database and said they found no record of a valid tour business licence for those involved.
Based on those findings, the suspect was informed of the allegation of operating a foreign-led tour business without a licence.
The alleged offence falls under the Tour Business and Guide Act B.E. 2551 (2008). Officials cited Section 15, which requires a licence to operate a tour business, and Section 80, which sets penalties of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 500,000 baht, or both.
The Department of Tourism said the arrest forms part of a stricter approach aimed at protecting Thailand’s tourism image and tourist safety, while preventing travellers from being exploited by illegal businesses.
ข่าววงการท่องเที่ยว reported that officials will expand the investigation by examining financial routes and others linked to the company as they pursue further legal action.
Elsewhere, a German man and a Myanmar national were arrested on Koh Pha Ngan for illegally operating a tour business using electric motorbikes to guide tourists, following complaints that high-speed electric motorcycles were causing safety concerns in the area.
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