Wanted Russian arrested at Phuket Airport over unpaid wages
Immigration officers at Phuket International Airport swooped to arrest a 29 year old Russian national wanted on a Phuket Provincial Court warrant for allegedly failing to pay employee wages and defying directives issued by labour inspectors.
The dramatic takedown took place at approximately 3.30pm on Wednesday, April 9, inside the airport’s international arrivals hall.
The arrest was the result of a coordinated effort between the Phuket Airport Immigration Investigation team and officers from the Cherng Talay Police Station, according to a statement released by Phuket Airport Immigration.
Leading the operation was Phuket Airport Immigration Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Akkaraphon Kaewkiattiyos, with oversight from senior officers Pol. Lt. Col. Rassarin Thiraphatthanakun and Pol. Lt. Col. Suthirat Thirasawat.
Officers from the Suppression Investigation Unit also joined the operation to ensure the arrest was executed smoothly.
The man, whose name was not disclosed in the official report, was taken into custody without incident and later handed over to investigators at Cherng Talay Police Station for further legal proceedings, reported The Phuket News.
According to the court warrant, the Russian is facing charges of collusion in not paying wages and ignoring formal orders issued by labour officals, offences that are taken seriously under Thai labour laws, especially involving foreign nationals in business or management roles.
In similar news, in a continued crackdown on illegal foreign employment, Na Jomtien Police have arrested a 50 year old Chinese national for working without a valid permit.
The Chinese man, surnamed Chen, was apprehended while supervising a construction site on Soi Na Jomtien 4 in Sattahip district.
The arrest was carried out in cooperation with Immigration Division 3. Chen confessed to being hired by a private company to manage the project, despite lacking legal authorisation to work in Thailand.
His actions breached immigration and employment regulations, which strictly require all foreign nationals to obtain a valid work permit before undertaking any form of paid labour.
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