Phuket court jails foreigners for passport forgery
A group of Afghan and Kazakh nationals caught using forged passports in Phuket have been sentenced to prison after a court found them guilty of attempting to deceive Thai immigration officers.
The Phuket Provincial Court delivered its verdict yesterday, March 5 at 11am, ruling on six criminal cases, numbered Tor 144/2568 to Tor 149/2568.
The Phuket Provincial Public Prosecutor led the case against the defendants, who were charged with passport forgery, using forged passports, and providing false information to officials.
The court handed down varying sentences, with defendants in cases No. Tor 144/2568 and Tor 146/2568 initially sentenced to four years in prison, later reduced to two years due to mitigating factors, including their confession.
Those in cases No. Tor 145/2568 and Tor 147/2568 to Tor 149/2568 were sentenced to two years, reduced to one year without suspension.
The arrests stemmed from an incident in December when five Afghan tourists attempted to enter Thailand using fake Kazakh passports at Phuket International Airport.
The forged passports were crafted to closely resemble official documents from the Republic of Kazakhstan. Immigration officers spotted the deception and detained the suspects, leading to formal charges at Sakhu Police Station.
Police later arrested two additional Afghan nationals attempting to leave Thailand via the airport’s international departures hall on December 9.
Identified as 24 year old Abdul Bashir Kawoskgar and 20 year old Mustafa Ahadi, the men were caught while trying to board Bangkok Airways flight PG276, which would have connected them to Milan, Italy.
Immigration officials shared online photos showing five seized Kazakh passports, but only four individuals were officially reported as arrested. No explanation was provided for the discrepancy.
In its public notice, the Phuket Provincial Court reiterated its commitment to providing swift and fair legal proceedings for tourists involved in criminal or civil disputes.
Officials emphasised that strict enforcement of immigration laws is essential to maintaining Phuket’s reputation and ensuring the integrity of Thailand’s legal system, reported The Phuket News.
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