Phuket —
Immigration officers have arrested a Cambodian national for illegally selling merchandise along Patong Beach.
Phuket Immigration told the Phuket Express that the arrest follows multiple complaints from local business owners who say unauthorized foreign vendors are undercutting Thai livelihoods and damaging the area’s reputation.
The suspect, identified only as Mr. Samnang, 43, was apprehended while selling various brands of sunglasses to beachgoers. Authorities seized over 20 items during the arrest. Although Mr. Samnang held a valid work permit for labor-related employment, he admitted to violating its terms by engaging in street vending—an occupation not permitted under his visa.
He has been charged under Thailand’s Royal Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers (2017), which strictly regulates the types of jobs foreign nationals are allowed to perform. The case has been handed over to Patong Police Station for further legal proceedings.
