TOURIST Police is gearing up to check international schools and soccer clubs after rounding up 122 foreigners for overstaying and illegally entering the country in major nationwide raids last night, Thai News Agency reported today (March 15).
Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakphan, deputy chief of Tourist Police, together with officers from his own and a few other police units, raided 111 places where foreigners like to hang out, eat and stay, and arrested 122 of them, mostly Indians, Myanmar citizens, Cambodians, Laotians and Vietnamese, for overstaying and illegally coming into Thailand.
Many of those arrested worked here as football players, taught in international schools or held religious posts.
Some of them were found to be a security risk while others had drugs in their possession, with these being marijuana, cocaine and amphetamine pills. Legal action will be taken against them and they will be deported from the country.
Maj Gen Surachet added that police will be checking 20 international schools next week, especially those in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, where many have been opened. If any of them are found to be helping overstayers or illegal immigrants they will face legal action.
Football clubs too are going to be raided soon, he added.
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Top: Some illegal foreigners talking to the police early this morning. Photo: Thai News Agency