Koh Phangan —
On January 28th, 2025, Thai authorities raided Coolscool, a foreign-run childcare center on Koh Phangan, Surat Thani, after receiving reports of its illegal operation.
Eight foreign nationals were found teaching and caring for 20 children, aged 4 to 10, without proper licenses or work permits. Two individuals, a 42-year-old Russian Ms. Margarita Khantemirova and a 43-year-old Ukrainian Mr. Oleksandr Lipes, were arrested for running an unlicensed childcare business and hiring undocumented workers.
The Ukrainian man was also charged with overstaying his visa by 1,086 days. Four more Russians, a Ukrainian, and a Myanmar national working as a cook were also detained.
Later, officials inspected Koh Phangan International Church, which was allegedly operating as an unauthorized school. Inside, they found over 190 Myanmar children studying in makeshift classrooms under four unlicensed Myanmar teachers.
All teachers were arrested, and 31 Burmese-language textbooks were confiscated.
Authorities revealed that the church had been repurposed as a school for the children of Myanmar migrant workers, charging 300–500 baht per month depending on grade level. Investigations are ongoing to determine the facility’s ownership and financial backers.
