Bangkok:Immigration officers in Surat Thani arrested a French national for operating an unlicensed luxury resort on Koh Phangan. The resort employed only Myanmar nationals, with no Thai workers among them.
According to Thai News Agency, immigration police in Surat Thani province, along with police from Koh Phangan Police Station and the Koh Phangan district official, arrested five foreigners. The group included Mr. Arnaud, a French national and owner of an illegal hotel business located in Ban Tai Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province, and four other individuals who are Myanmar employees.
Upon inspecting the premises, it was found that there were several rooms for rent on a daily basis. Foreign workers were employed as staff, preparing food, serving food and drinks, and working as cashiers. There were no Thai people working in the restaurant area at all.
Mr. Arnaud was in charge of overseeing and directing various operations, and the premises lacked a permit. Therefore, officials charged Mr. Arnaud with jointly operating a hotel business without a permit, being a foreigner working outside the scope of his permitted work (clerical work), employing foreigners in work outside the scope of his permitted work (clerical work), and failing to notify the registrar of the employment of foreigners within 15 days of hiring. The other four employees were also charged.