Nine foreign nationals are being deported and given a lifetime ban from entering Thailand after an attack on Immigration officers at a luxury villa in upscale Cherng Talay. The original incident took place on Thursday, October 26, when officers visited the property in the sub-district of Cherng Ttalay to arrest an Indian national.
Tanet Sukchai, Phuket Immigration Chief, says 36 year old Nikhil Arora, of dual Indian/Vanuatu nationality, was the main target of the operation. An arrest warrant had been issued for Mr Arora after he allegedly threatened another Indian man. He was in the kingdom on a Privilege visa (previously known as the Elite visa).
On arrival at the villa, Immigration officers were prevented from entering and in the altercation that ensued, three officers were injured by a foreign man wielding a baseball bat, according to a Phuket News report.
In total, 6 men have been arrested and charged with assaulting Immigration officers, while another 3 have been charged with overstaying their visas. The owner of the villa has also been charged with failing to notify Immigration of foreigners staying at his property, a breach of Section 38 of the Immigration Act.
The Phuket News reports that in addition to Mr Arora, the other five foreigners charged with assault are 30 year old Sanjay Shetty, 28 year old Arshdeep Singh Bedi, 25 year old Charmanna Kolumadanada Uthappa, 39 year old Nitin Khanna, and 32 year old Manoj Kumar.
The three charged with overstaying their visas have been named as 33 year old Russian national Shkodo Georgii, 29 year old Indian national Kartik Kartik, and 25 year old Yuvraj Saxena, also of Indian nationality (although the name….).
On Friday, October 27, the Commander-in-Chief of the Immigration Bureau arrived in Phuket to offer support to the officers involved in Thursday’s siege, which was eventually brought to an end by the arrival of the Phuket Provincial Police Special Operations and Tactics (SWAT) unit.
Itthiphol Itthisanronnachai confirmed that all those arrested will be deported and banned from Thailand for life, as he warned of the consequences for foreigners breaking the law while in the kingdom.
“Everyone involved is to be blacklisted and deported from the country, along with a public relations campaign for foreigners to acknowledge that when coming to Thailand they must adhere and strictly comply with the law.”
SOURCE: The Phuket Express | The Phuket News
