Crackdown on student visa to hit Phuket
Phuket – Tourist police in Phuket have confirmed they will soon launch series of raids targeting foreigners who are staying in the famous island of Phuket using student visa but not actually attending the courses they are enrolled in.
According to Capt Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police as reported by The Phuket News (April 30), authorities will start conducting raids on Wednesday (May 2).
Read: Police arrested more than 75 foreigners in Soi Cowboy
“We will inspect language schools across the island,” Capt Ekkachai said.
Any irregularities in student enrolment and attendance will be investigated, he added.
“If we find any illegal activities, we will move to press charges against those involved, including the language school,” Capt Ekkachai warned.
The crackdown follows after police busted romance scammers who presented student visas to officers in Bangkok.
Last week, authorities conducted an operation called X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner to arrest those who had overstayed their visas and searched 74 international schools offering language courses to foreigners.
Thai Tourist Police Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan revealed that criminal elements from Africa were found to have enrolled at language schools and are using student visa so they can stay in the kingdom.
“There are foreign criminals who come to Thailand and enrol on such courses so as to change their tourist visas to education visas, which grant them a permit for a much longer stay,” Maj Gen Surachate said.
Source: The Phuket News
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