Barber shop owner’s illegal tangle: Hot water over hiring allegations in Phuket

In a recent incident unfolding in the heart of Phuket, a 38 year old female business owner in Patong finds herself in hot water because of allegations of illegal employment practices at her barber shop. Known only as “Petladda,” the woman is facing potential charges for her suspected recruiting habits after a second incident of a foreigner found working illegally under her roof at the Professional Barber Shop.

The episode unfolded on Thaweewong Road, an area familiar with the pleasant hum of tourists on Patong Beach Road. The man in question working illegally was 38 year old Egyptian national Mohamed Bassem. Bassem was arrested during the police operation.

An impromptu inventory list following his arrest was found that included a pair of hair clippers, a hair dryer, one comb, a hair brush, and a razor. Illustrating the scene further, evidence photographs were shared featuring Bassem cutting a tourist’s hair.

Bassem now finds himself grappling with the rigours of a legal entanglement. Not only is he facing charges of illicit employment, but his overstaying in the Kingdom of Thailand post the expiration of his stay permit further complicates matters.

Petladda has been charged with “admitting foreigners to work without a work permit.” The woman, alongside Bassem, was escorted to the Patong Police Station pending further legal action.

However, this isn’t Petladda’s first rendezvous with controversy. Her Professional Barber Shop on Rat U-Thit 200 Pi Road was the backdrop for the previous incident featuring the arrest of a Jordanian national known merely as Osamh. Interestingly, no legal action ensued against Petladda following this incident.

Thailand upholds stringent employment laws that prohibit foreigners from undertaking job roles in hair cutting, hairdressing, or offering beauty treatments – all of these occupations are solely reserved for Thai nationals. It prompts thoughts on the recurrent infractions stemming from Petladda’s establishment.

In an intriguing divergence, while Patong Police publicly shared photographs of the two arrested foreigners involved in the instances, Petladda remains elusive from the public eye, with no images of her posted.