A British man was arrested for posing as a guide and taking foreign tourists around Phangan Island, as well as leading tours throughout Thailand for 18 days, charging a budget price of £1,499 per person.
On May 30, tourist police officers, along with officials from the Koh Phangan District Office, arrested Mr. Jabran, a 25-year-old British national, at Sarana Bungalows Hotel in Ban Tai Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province. It was discovered that he had been working illegally in Thailand as a tour guide, a profession prohibited for foreigners.
The tourist police had received a complaint about a tour business operating in the Koh Phangan area, alleging that a foreigner was secretly working as a tour guide and leading groups of foreign customers around the island.
Mr. Jabran had hired two silver vans to take tourists to various locations. The itinerary included guiding tours from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to Chinrat Boxing Stadium, the road behind the Koh Phangan District Office, and other places. According to the investigation, Mr. Jabran had been working illegally as a tour guide in Thailand for a total of 18 days, starting from Bangkok and including stops in Khao Sok, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. The Koh Phangan tour was scheduled for days 5-8 of the entire tour. The cost of the 18-day Thailand tour package from Intro Travel company was £1,499, equivalent to 70,000 baht per person.
The suspect confessed to all charges. He was then taken to the investigating officer at Koh Phangan Police Station to be prosecuted for “being a foreign person working as a tour guide without permission” and “working without a work permit.”
Photo Khaosod
