Immigration crackdown leads to arrests in Phuket as Thailand tightens border security

Thailand’s Immigration Bureau says special operations in major tourist communities led to dozens of arrests in Phuket as part of a wider crackdown on transnational crime and public-order threats.

The bureau said it has introduced stricter measures under a strategy to deny entry to and deport foreign nationals deemed to pose risks while posing as tourists. In the first phase, authorities used advanced screening systems at air and land checkpoints to block blacklisted individuals and people with international arrest warrants.

Between January and May, more than 29,400 people were denied entry after being flagged as risks for illegal work or scam activity, according to the bureau. Authorities also revoked the visas of 668 people, who were then deported for violating the conditions of their stay.

The bureau said an ongoing enforcement drive across key areas resulted in the arrest of 14,161 illegal foreign nationals during the first four months of the year. It added that special operations targeting high-risk individuals in tourist areas produced dozens of arrests in places including Phuket and Chonburi.