Russian man arrested in Phuket over unlicensed fishing tours

A Russian man was arrested at sea off Chalong in Phuket on May 6 after police traced fishing tours allegedly sold through Telegram to an unlicensed operation, officials said. The arrest followed an undercover booking in which an informant paid 3,000 baht per person for a trip that police said carried the suspect, the informant and six other Russian tourists.

Telegram tip-off led to monthlong police monitoring

The case began with a complaint to the Tourist Police hotline that foreigners were advertising tour packages through a Telegram group.

Officers monitored the group for more than a month and gathered evidence before arranging the test booking, police said.

Tourist Police and the tour business registrar then followed the boat in a patrol vessel, identified themselves and made the arrest at sea.

Three charges filed, visa revocation sought

Police said the suspect had no licence to operate a tour business or work as a guide. He was transferred to investigators for legal action on three charges.

The first charge, operating a tour business without a licence, carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 500,000 baht, or both.

The second, working as a guide without a licence, is punishable by up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.

The third charge alleges he worked beyond the rights granted to a foreign national under Thailand’s foreign workers law, which carries a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 baht.

Police said they will seek to revoke his visa and deport him after the criminal case is completed.

Officials said the arrest formed part of a wider campaign against foreigners accused of working in occupations reserved for Thai nationals.

Last year, Phuket Tourist Police arrested two Russian tour guides and fined two tour companies in a coordinated crackdown on illegal tour operations.

Source: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/russian-man-arrested-unlicensed-phuket-fishing-tours