A Myanmar national was arrested in Phuket after officials raided a restaurant found to be illegally operated and staffed entirely by foreign workers.
The venue, named Thu Nge Chin Sine, is located behind Public Market 1 on Bangkok Road in Phuket Town. It was raided following complaints from residents about its operations, according to the Bangkok Post.
A team of officials, led by the chief security officer for Phuket district, carried out the inspection. They found that the restaurant was staffed exclusively by Myanmar nationals, with no Thai employees on site. All signage, menus, order slips and receipts were written in Burmese. Most of the customers were also from the Myanmar community.
Officers arrested 37 year old Zaw Min Lat, who was identified as the person in charge of the establishment. He was found with two printed food menus, 14 handwritten order slips in Burmese, and several Burmese-language delivery receipts. He admitted to writing the slips himself.
Zaw Min Lat was charged with working in an occupation not permitted for foreigners under Thai law. He and the seized evidence were handed over to investigators at Phuket City Police Station for further legal proceedings, reported The Phuket News.
The raid has stirred debate over illegal employment practices in Phuket, where labour issues involving migrant workers, particularly from Myanmar, remain a recurring concern.
Thai labour law restricts certain occupations to Thai nationals only, including jobs in food preparation, street vending, and retail services. Foreigners who engage in these jobs without proper work permits can face fines, deportation, and blacklisting.
Police urged business owners in Phuket to comply with immigration and labour regulations, warning that enforcement will continue against those violating the law.
In similar news, Thai police raided an industrial estate in Chon Buri province, arresting 58 foreign nationals for illegal employment. The operation, carried out on August 9, was part of a broader crackdown on unlawful labour practices initiated by the National Police Chief.
The story Phuket eatery raided for using all-Myanmar staff illegally as seen on Thaiger News.
