Russian and Turkish Nationals Arrested for Illegal IT and Interior Installation Work

[webfact]

Russian and Turkish Nationals Arrested for Illegal IT and Interior Installation Work on Koh Phangan

 

 

Authorities in Koh Phangan have arrested two foreign nationals for illegal work activities involving high-income IT and interior installation services.

 

On September 18, 2024, Police Lieutenant Colonel Winich Boonchit from the Tourist Police Division received complaints about foreign workers violating labour laws. In response, the police launched a crackdown operation aimed at protecting jobs reserved for Thai nationals. The focus was on foreign individuals engaged in unauthorised labour activities on the island.

 

Alexander, a 34-year-old Russian national, was apprehended at a restaurant in Moo 1, Koh Phangan Subdistrict, while installing CCTV cameras, televisions, and sound systems. Evidence collected at the scene led to charges of "working outside of the permitted occupation" for a technician role.

 

Simultaneously, Chaitai, a 45-year-old Turkish national, was arrested at a shop in Moo 8, Koh Phangan Subdistrict, Surat Thani Province. He was caught using tools to measure walls and clean decorative items.

 

Chaitai faced charges of "working without a work permit." Both suspects were taken to Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal procedures.

During questioning, Alexander revealed he is a marketing manager for Sol Treatment Co., Ltd., with a salary of 41,300 baht per month.

 

However, he admitted to performing technical work for the company, including installing CCTV systems, televisions, and sound equipment, a role that significantly boosted his monthly earnings to between 70,000 and 100,000 baht. He frequently traveled across the country for these projects, reported Matichon.

 

Chaitai confessed to working as an interior technician for a company, handling installations and cleaning interior decorations. His responsibilities included installing electronic equipment and cleaning decorative items. Rather than receiving a standard salary, he was promised a future business partnership in the company.

 

Picture courtesy: Matichon

 

-- 2024-09-19

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChipButty]

Running out of Russians on KPN soon

[MalcolmB]

Police are very proactive on KPL. 
Seems to be every couple of days they arrest a foreigner or two. 

[ronster]

Is there anyone left to arrest on Koh Phangan ? 😀

[Mburo]

Looks like the RTP don’t have much to do . 

[CLW]

In case of the Turkish guy. No salary but still charged for working without a work permit? So you can't even clean a friend's business as a favour now ???

[NativeBob]

sounds good! and they all admitted/confessed. and my cat blows fire. 

 

FYI: CCTV is about 500thb per camera in beloved Bangkok and cheaper in KPN

High income IT? what is so "information" in attaching cameras to the wall?

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Chaitai faced charges of "working without a work permit." Both suspects were taken to Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal procedures.

During questioning, Alexander revealed he is a marketing manager for Sol Treatment Co., Ltd., with a salary of 41,300 baht per month.

Bye bye..

[Classic Ray]

28 minutes ago, CLW said:

In case of the Turkish guy. No salary but still charged for working without a work permit? So you can't even clean a friend's business as a favour now ???

No, even voluntary unpaid work needs a work permit. Mad but true.

[biggles45]

'So you can't even clean a friend's business as a favour now ???' 

 

I can recall past reported instances of foreign volunteers being arrested. The most famous was after the Phuket tsunami when lots of volunteers came to help. Very negative publicity for Thailand 

[johng]

31 minutes ago, CLW said:

So you can't even clean a friend's business as a favour now ???

That's correct  and don't forget what happened to those volunteers after the tsunami.

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, biggles45 said:

'So you can't even clean a friend's business as a favour now ???' 

 

I can recall past reported instances of foreign volunteers being arrested. The most famous was after the Phuket tsunami when lots of volunteers came to help. Very negative publicity for Thailand 

Thats very true I was here when it happened, I met 2 guys who came here to help build some houses and were told they need work permits, 

[Caldera]

38 minutes ago, CLW said:

In case of the Turkish guy. No salary but still charged for working without a work permit? So you can't even clean a friend's business as a favour now ???

 

That has always been the law. Enforcement has obviously been somewhat inconsistent, as per usual. 

[bkk_mike]

I was wondering how someone doing "high end IT" got caught. Because most of that would be people logging in remotely to a company offshore...

Figured it had to be someone doing it for a Thai company...

Only to find installing CCTV cameras is apparently "high end IT" in Thailand...

[retarius]

Thailand has some really, really stupid laws.

[RonJr]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

Police are very proactive on KPL. 
Seems to be every couple of days they arrest a foreigner or two. 

You would think they'd read the local news. 

[Taco]

I though the tourist police were supposed to be busy helping tourists not scamming small business owners on bs charges. 

[sherwood]

1 hour ago, NativeBob said:

sounds good! and they all admitted/confessed. and my cat blows fire. 

 

FYI: CCTV is about 500thb per camera in beloved Bangkok and cheaper in KPN

High income IT? what is so "information" in attaching cameras to the wall?

What's the saying about peanuts and monkey's.

I would rather have the job done properly but, TiT.

[Sydebolle]

Well, that's where the officials kick in. Working without a work permit has a fine and being in the land with the wrong visa might have another fine. 

Fine the boys, tell them to get work permits (if the alien business law does allow so) and close the file. 

Really newsworthy - I wonder? 

[Montnoveau]

What's happening with the powertool at the middle of the picture?

[AlwaysThere]

49 minutes ago, bkk_mike said:

I was wondering how someone doing "high end IT" got caught. Because most of that would be people logging in remotely to a company offshore...

Figured it had to be someone doing it for a Thai company...

Only to find installing CCTV cameras is apparently "high end IT" in Thailand...

 

There is nothing in the article that states 'high end IT'. Neither the 'hack job' here nor the original article.

 

The original article mentions the 'high income' of the Russian. 

The Turk was allegedly renovating a 'Herblife' company for a share in future earnings.

 

[ryandb]

9 minutes ago, AlwaysThere said:

 

There is nothing in the article that states 'high end IT'. Neither the 'hack job' here nor the original article.

 

The original article mentions the 'high income' of the Russian. 

The Turk was allegedly renovating a 'Herblife' company for a share in future earnings.

 

It's in the snippet for the email newsletter that's how I saw it

[NativeBob]

why do they always confess/admit? What's wrong with them? 

you can see that thai dude laughing his *** off at such suckers. 

 

back in the old days one guy was caught with a loaded pistol, he denied and after few months he left a detention and immediately sued every officer arrested him. 1 resigned and 2 were transferred. And he got $$$ from others to close the case.

 

But these ^^^^ ? 

[ujayujay]

1 hour ago, Classic Ray said:

No, even voluntary unpaid work needs a work permit. Mad but true.

No, not mad, but Thai Law😉

[sambum]

"Rather than receiving a standard salary, he was promised a future business partnership in the company."

 

Yeah, right!

[AlwaysThere]

1 minute ago, sambum said:

"Rather than receiving a standard salary, he was promised a future business partnership in the company."

 

Yeah, right!

 

Do you know differently?

[sambum]

2 minutes ago, AlwaysThere said:

 

Do you know differently?

 

I am surmising differently - "We won't pay you, but sometime in the future we'll give you a share in the company"

 

I wonder how many suckers have fallen for that one?

[Iron Tongue]

That's pretty damning evidence they have on these criminals, a power drill and several pieces of PVC tubing!

With that kind of proof, even the Red Bull heir would have been dragged out of his limo and tossed straight into prison!

[arick]

They'll be making AI chips on this island next you know.

[mokwit]

Just now, ronster said:

Is there anyone left to arrest on Koh Phangan ? 😀

'undreds, maybe fousands.