Surat Thani –
A Swiss man was arrested after he was found allegedly illegally working at a barber shop on the Pha Ngan Island in Surat Thani.
The Pha Ngan Tourist Police told the Phuket Express that on Wednesday (June 26th) they arrested a suspect identified only as Mr. Oliver, 51, a Swiss national. He was arrested at the Oliver Twist Hair shop in the Baan Tai sub-district.
The arrest came after police were notified from a concerned citizen that a foreigner was working a protected Thai occupation (barber) and that the concerned citizen was deeply worried about Thai laws being broken. The barber shop was advertised via Facebook and booked via WhatsApp applications.
Oliver told police that he has a work permit as the CEO of a company but was working as a barber. The barber shop had been opened for nine years. Hair style service fees were from 500 baht to 4,000 baht.
Oliver was taken to the Koh Pha Ngan Police Station to face charges of working without legal permission. The Phuket Express notes that barbers and salon workers are a protected Thai occupation and foreigners cannot work in this field or obtain work permits to do so.
Social media heavily discussed the case with many netizens questioning how the foreigner could have worked illegally for nine years without drawing any prior legal attention.
