POLICE TARGET CAR, MOTORBIKE RENTALS OPERATED BY FOREIGNERS
Police have launched a campaign targetting car and motorbike rental businesses in Phuket that are operated by foreigners and suspected of using nominee shareholders.
Marking the launch of the campaign, Region 8 Police Commander Pol Lt Gen Surapong Thanomjit raided a car and motorbike business in Moo 7, Srisoonthorn, on Mar 19.
More than 100 vehicles were seized in the raid, joined by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Sinlert Sukhum, senior police officers and a Special Operations and Tactics Unit.
Lt Gen Surapong said that there were five such car and motorbike rental businesses under investigation, involving more than 1,000 vehicles.
The businesses are suspected of using nominee shareholders in setting up the companies to operate the businesses, he said.
One report shared by Region 8 Police marked that the foreigners involved in the rental businesses even had family members and friends arrive in Phuket to take part in operating the businesses.
Police gave no indication which nationalities were involved.
The foreign offenders entered Phuket as tourists then had companies set up with assistance from people “knowledgeable in the law”. The companies are set up with the correct proportion of foreign ownership, then shares are transferred to make the foreigners the majority shareholders, but not in the correct proportion as allowed by law, the report said.
Speaking at a meeting held before the raid, Lt Gen Surapong said that 614 foreigners had been arrested in the past six months, of whom 98 had been deported for committing crimes.
Lt Gen Surapong assured that police were taking action against foreigners engaged in illegal activities in Phuket.
PM CONCERN
Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has expressed his concern about the tourism sector in Phuket due to the volume of tourists arriving that are involved in criminal behaviour.
The PM’s concern was relayed by Pol Lt Gen Achayon Kraithong, Spokesman of the Royal Thai Police, after a meeting with Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat and other highranking officials on Mar 19, the same day that Region 8 Police launched its campaign against foreigners illegally operating car and motorbike businesses on the island.
The PM’s concern was “because there are a lot of tourists coming in, some of whom may have behavior that violates the law”, Lt Gen Achayon said.
“Region 8 Police and Phuket Provincial Police forces have mobilised to crack down on crimes. The work...
...performance so far is considered satisfactory, with 98 arrests and tourist visas revoked in the past six months, since October 2023. Such measures will inspire tourists who come to travel [to Phuket] to have confidence, have peace of mind, and be safe,” he said.
“The Prime Minister and the National Police Commissioner has placed emphasis on law enforcement in national tourist cities, like Phuket province,” Lt Gen Achayon said.
“It was found that there were a large number of foreigners committing crimes. Including the entry into business with Thai people as nominees.
“We must mobilise to clean this up, and to receive complaints about such activities. We must suppress those involved in illegal acts,” he added.
“There is also concern about the safety of officials in the work that brings forces to stop various incidents. That requires practice and training in the use of arrest tactics and the use of language that may be problematic.
“However, legal action and law enforcement will be taken against offenders. It will make Phuket a safe tourist city, so those who travel to
Phuket are confident and choose to travel back again next time. This affects the tourism industry of Phuket Province to become stable,” Lt Gen Achayon concluded.
TOURIST POLICE Following the PM’s expression of concern, national Commander-inChief of the Tourist Police, Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phueakum, was in Phuket on Mar 20 to lead a meeting with consuls on the island.
The aim of the meeting was to call on consuls to help share the message for foreigners to abide by the law while in Phuket, as tourists or otherwise.
In total, consuls representing 10 countries were present, namely the People’s Republic of China, Austria, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Switzerland and Spain.
At the meeting, held at Phuket Tourist Police headquarters in Phuket Town, Pol Lt Gen Saksira emphasised the importance of working with consuls.
“The goal is for the consuls of each country to be informed of the policies and security measures of the Tourist Police in order to build confidence in the security provided by the Tourist Police and the Royal Thai Police,” Pol Lt Gen Saksira said.
The meeting was also held to solicit feedback and suggestions from the consuls, Pol Lt Gen Saksira added.
“In 2024, there will be more than a million foreigners traveling into Phuket. Pol Gen Torsak Sukwimon, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Police, has therefore emphasised and instructed all police units to work together to prevent, suppress and eliminate foreigners who come to commit illegal acts in Thailand,” he said.
“Together we can raise the level of security and convenience to build confidence among tourists,” he said.
ARRESTS
At the meeting, officers confirmed the slew of arrests being carried out in the campaign to crack down on foreigners engaged in illegal behaviour in Phuket.
Phuket Provincial Police on Mar 19 posted a flurry of arrest announcements, no less than 24 in total, including the arrest of a 68-year-old American man for procuring a minor for sex.
Wichit Police in its report on Mar 19 marked the arrest of US citizen American Mark Carey Urdang for what they called “sexual offenses”.
Although the date and location of his arrest were not reported, Wichit Police explained that he was taken into custody at about 11:30pm on Mar 18 under Criminal Court arrest warrant No. 352/2567, which was issued on Jan 24.
The warrant marked Urdang was wanted for committing the crime “taking a person over fifteen years of age but not yet over eighteen years of age to engage in indecent acts, even if that person consents; taking a minor over fifteen years of age but not more than eighteen years away from parents and induce, encourage or allow children to perform or commit obscene acts.”
The charge is listed under Section 283 of the Criminal Code.
The other arrests reported included foreigners caught drunk driving, driving with a licence, riding a motorbike without a helmet, overstaying their permits to stay and performing work not listed in their work permit drunk driving,
Among those was the arrest of Chinese national Tian Kai, 38, by Thalang Police at a villa at The Bay at Cape Yamu luxury residential estate in Moo 7, Pa Khlok, on Mar 19.
Officers took Mr Tian into custody in front of his villa at about 11:30am. He was wanted for 653 days overstay. He last entered the country on Jan 17, 2020.
An interpreter was provided for Mr Tian to understand the charges, and he was taken to Thalang Police Station “for further legal action”, police reported.
Added to that was the arrest of Wong Tsz Kin, 31, from Hong Kong, for illegally working as a tour guide. Wong was arrested while illegally conducting a tour at the Big Buddha viewpoint.
Additional reporting by Eakkapop Thongtub