Seventeen foreign nationals and a Thai have been arrested for working illegally and other immigration offences during raids this week on three popular tourist islands in Surat Thani province.
Police and local officials raided sites on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao after alerted about foreign nationals running unregistered nurseries, working without work permits, overstaying visas and other immigration offences.
The raids, conducted since Jan 28, led to the arrest of 17 foreigners and a Thai in all, police said.
On Koh Samui, a Briton and a Lao national were arrested at two separate locations. One was charged with overstaying and the other with illegal entry.
On Koh Phangan, 12 foreigners — five Russians, two Ukrainians, five Myanmar nationals — were arrested on charges that included setting up a private school without permission, running a nursery without permission, working illegally and hiring illegal migrants.
On Koh Tao, three Myanmar nationals were arrested on charges of working illegally and a Thai employee was arrested on charges of illegally running a nursery and hiring illegal migrants.
Surat Thani Immigration officers coordinated with related agencies to carry out “Operation X-ray” on the three islands, police said.
