Brazilian Musician’s Arrest in Thailand Sparks Controversy Over Immigration Crackdown
The girlfriend of a Brazilian musician has spoken out against what she describes as excessive enforcement by Thai immigration authorities following a minor work permit violation in Pai. The arrest has prevented the musician, Matheus, a well-known bassist, from traveling to Japan for scheduled concerts.
Yael, an Israeli tourist, sent an urgent email to local media on February 16, detailing the arrest and treatment of her boyfriend and other musicians at the Jazz House restaurant. The group was detained on February 13 for performing without proper work permits.
“They are still being held with no explanation, no information, and no dignity,” Yael wrote. “The treatment they are receiving right now is simply appalling. When will this end?”
According to her account, the musicians were forced to sleep on the floor in detention for two nights before appearing in court on February 15, where they were fined between 5,000 and 8,000 baht. Despite paying their fines, they were transported to the Mae Hong Son immigration detention center instead of being released.
The case involves four individuals: the Irish venue owner, Brian, and three musicians – Matheus from Brazil and two Israeli nationals, Yishay and Shay. Brian was granted bail for 120,000 baht, while the musicians were fined for work permit violations. Matheus, who had been in Thailand as a tourist for three months, had planned to begin a tour in Japan on February 17 but remains in immigration custody pending deportation.
The incident has sparked debate about Thailand’s enforcement of work permit laws, particularly in Pai, where tensions have grown over foreign musicians performing without permits. While some locals support stricter regulations to protect jobs for Thai workers, others question whether the authorities’ response in this case was overly harsh.
Immigration officials have yet to comment on the case, but concerns over disproportionate enforcement continue to grow, especially among the expatriate and artistic communities in Thailand.
