A 60-year-old New Zealand man was arrested on Friday in Pattaya for overstaying his visa by nearly six years, police said.
The New Zealander, identified as Grant Douglas Corrine, was caught outside a convenience store near Jomtien Beach, police said.
The arrest was part of an operation called “X-ray”, aimed at purging Pattaya of visa offenders as well as foreigners who have been reported as committing crime or working in professions reserved for Thai people.
Mr Corrine was found to have overstayed his visa for a total of 2,173 days.
He told police that he had managed to evade detection for nearly six years by rarely appearing in public and avoiding making local friends.
He also said he left his home only during the evenings to buy essentials to minimise encounters with authorities.
Police said he will be deported.
