UPDATE: Zhang Yong arrested in Phuket after a 2,823-day overstay
A 52-year-old Chinese man identified as Zhang Yong was arrested in Phuket after a Chinese Embassy request concerning a court warrant in China; he was charged over a 2,823-day Thai visa overstay.
Police arrested a 52-year-old Chinese man wanted in China after he allegedly overstayed his Thai visa by 2,823 days. A report by The Phuket News identified the man as Zhang Yong and said the arrest followed a request for assistance from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand concerning a court warrant in China.
Zhang was apprehended at about 7.30pm on Sunday, 13 September 2026, near a residence on Chao Fah Road in Phuket Town. Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division and Phuket Provincial Police acted on information from the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, which identified him as a fugitive linked to several court cases in China. They monitored the suspected location before approaching a man matching his description, identifying themselves and requesting his documents.
Police confirmed Zhang’s identity using his passport and took him to Phuket City Police Station for processing. He was charged under Thai immigration law for remaining in Thailand beyond his permitted stay. Police said he admitted the offence after being informed of his rights through a Chinese interpreter.
Documents provided by Chinese authorities reportedly link Zhang to several incidents in Langfang, Hebei Province, in 2017. The allegations include forced demolitions of village homes, the takeover of company offices during business disputes, disruption of an inspection at a hotel and an assault in which a man was beaten with an iron bar near the Guangyang District People’s Court and suffered injuries requiring the removal of his spleen.
Chinese records reportedly accuse Zhang of directing or inciting some of the actions. The documents allege that a large group was mobilised to forcibly remove villagers before heavy machinery was used to demolish structures. In the business dispute, Zhang and others allegedly occupied company premises and disrupted operations. In the hotel incident, the group reportedly caused a disturbance and made excessive noise at a hotel where a provincial-level Communist Party inspection team was staying and conducting official work.
Thai authorities stressed that the information concerning the cases in China came from documents and information shared by Chinese authorities and does not constitute a final judgment by a Thai court. The allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings in China.
Zhang will first face penalties under Thai law for the 2,823-day overstay. Thai authorities said his case would then proceed through diplomatic and legal channels concerning extradition or further cooperation with Chinese officials.
