PATTAYA, Thailand – Chonburi Immigration, in collaboration with the Labor Department of Chonburi and the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), conducted a series of raids targeting illegal foreign workers who were violating immigration laws and taking jobs away from Thai nationals in Pattaya on November 21. The operation, aimed at reinforcing immigration enforcement and ensuring public safety during the high tourist season, was carried out at two separate locations in the city.
The first raid focused on a hotel on South Pattaya Road, where authorities had gathered intelligence about the illegal housing of foreign workers. Upon searching over 50 rooms, officers discovered more than 100 foreign nationals, primarily from India and Myanmar, hiding in bathrooms and on balconies. Several individuals attempted to flee but were apprehended, including a couple from Myanmar who admitted to entering Thailand illegally.
Authorities also found that 14 workers, mostly from Myanmar, Cambodia, and India, were residing in the country without proper documentation or had failed to report their residence, leading to their detention.
The second raid targeted foreign workers taking jobs typically held by Thai citizens. Two Myanmar nationals were arrested for working as car washers at a gas station in South Pattaya without proper work permits. In a subsequent search at the Wat Chaimongkol Market, officers detained a Lao woman and a man of unclear nationality who was operating a motorcycle taxi without authorization.
Colonel Napatpong Kositsuriyamanee, the Superintendent of Chonburi Immigration, emphasized that this crackdown is part of a proactive strategy to identify and apprehend foreign nationals involved in illegal activities, especially during the peak tourist season. He reiterated that these operations are intended to protect both local employment and the safety of tourists, and that further raids would be conducted regularly to ensure compliance with immigration and labor laws.
