A Thai immigration commander has vowed to crackdown on what he calls “foreign mafia” in Phuket, after an assault on immigration officers led to the arrest and deportation of 9 foreigners last week.
The Phuket Express reports that several foreign nationals have been slapped with a lifetime ban from the kingdom as a result of the assault at a luxury villa in Cherng Talay on Thursday, October 26. Most of those arrested were Indian nationals, with one Russian in the mix.
Immigration officers who arrived at the villa to arrest an Indian man who had overstayed his visa were prevented from entering and assaulted by a number of men, one of whom was wielding a baseball bat, according to reports. In total, six people were arrested and charged with the assault, while another 3 were arrested for having overstayed their visas.
Itthiphon Itthisarnronnachai, chief of the Royal Thai Immigration Bureau, visited Phuket to offer his support to the immigration officers injured in the incident. Itthiphon also issued a warning that foreign nationals who don’t respect Thai laws will be deported, in particular if they are acting aggressively and are considered a threat to the kingdom.
The immigration chief singled out Phuket, vowing to crackdown on foreign criminal gangs on the island.
SOURCE: The Phuket Express
