Thai police on Thursday night (March 22) rounded up 123 foreigners in its fifth operation launched simultaneously at 108 locations nationwide to crackdown on foreigners illegally stay in the country.
The operation codenamed “X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner” was spearheaded by Tourist Police Bureau deputy commander Pol Maj-Gen Surachet Hakpal, and joined by 191 police, immigration police, narcotics suppression police, and local police.
In Bangkok, the operation centred in Bang Rak and Phyathai areas where there are various international and bilingual schools which hired foreigners as teachers.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet said after the night raids at the 108 targets which comprises 49 schools and 59 houses, a total of 123 foreigners were rounded up.
They included 17 for overstaying, 91 for illegal entry, and 15 others for other offences.
Of the 91 foreigners, 62 are Myanmars, 14 Laotians and four Cambodians.
He said this operation focussed on foreigners applying for Non-Immigrant Type ED visa or non-Ed visas as this has become a channel for criminals to enter the country to commit crimes.
According to police, this type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to study, attend seminar, training session, or internship in Thailand.
He said the immigration police will work closely with schools to make random check on the class attendance of the applicants.
He said immigration police allowed applicant to be absent from class for not over 3 days.
Any absence for over 3 days without good reason, or notification to the schools, their non-Ed visas would be revoked, he said.
The police officer said that this month, the immigration police have revoked non-Ed visas of four foreigners and withdrawn their student status.
He also warned that any school administrators ignored the police request to conduct constant check of their foreign teachers or students could face charge of providing shelter for illegal immigrants.
He added that altogether 490 foreigners were rounded in raidscat 2,346 locations nationwide in five operations.
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