Thai authorities responded to reports from local residents about a foreign tourist causing a disturbance on August 12. The man was allegedly begging for food, wandering, and sleeping on the streets. Police led by Pol. Lt. Col. Winit Boonchit from the Tourist Police Division 5, Sub-Division 2, along with officers from the Tourist Police Bureau 3, arrested Mr. Dmitry (last name withheld), a 56-year-old Russian national, in front of the Banana IT store on Koh Phangan.
Upon checking his documents, it was discovered that Mr. Dmitry had entered Thailand using a Russian passport and had overstayed his visa by 1,599 days. Mr. Dmitry admitted that he holds dual citizenship—Russian and Canadian—but entered Thailand with his Russian passport. He was handed over to investigators at Koh Phangan Police Station for legal proceedings.
In response to this incident, Pol. Lt. Gen. Saksira Phueak-um, Commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, has ordered stricter enforcement against foreign nationals and migrant workers involved in illegal activities, including those taking jobs from Thai citizens and engaging in the ten prohibited offenses within their jurisdiction.
