Chinese Fugitive Arrested in Phuket After 2,823 Days of Overstay

Phuket –

Police have arrested a 52 year old male Chinese national wanted in his home country after overstaying his visa by nearly eight years.

Authorities identified the suspect only as Mr. Yong, 52, who was apprehended around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday (September 13th) near a residence on Chao Fah Road in Phuket Town. Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) and Phuket Provincial Police acted on intelligence provided by the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, which flagged Zhang as a fugitive linked to multiple court cases in China.

Police confirmed Yong’s identity through his passport before escorting him to Phuket City Police Station for formal processing. He was charged under Thai immigration law for remaining in the kingdom beyond his permitted stay, a violation amounting to 2,823 days. Yong admitted to the offense after being informed of his rights through a Chinese interpreter.

Documents shared by Chinese authorities reveal Yong’s name surfaced in several high-profile incidents in Langfang, Hebei Province in 2017. Allegations include:

• Forced demolitions of village homes, where groups under his influence allegedly expelled residents and used heavy machinery to destroy property.
• Business disputes, involving the takeover of company offices and obstruction of operations.
• Hotel disturbance, where officials conducting inspections were reportedly harassed and disrupted.
• Violent assault, in which a man was beaten with an iron bar near a district court, suffering life-threatening injuries that required removal of his spleen.

Chinese records cite Yong as either directing or inciting these actions, leading to charges ranging from property damage and public disturbance to aggravated assault.

While the allegations in China remain subject to judicial proceedings there, Thai authorities stated that Yong will first face penalties under domestic law for overstaying. His case will then proceed through diplomatic and legal channels regarding extradition or further cooperation with Chinese officials.