SURAT THANI: A Russian man has been arrested after overstaying his visa by 20 months on Koh Samui, where he operated a website offering psychological counselling to Russian tourists, police said.
The arrest of Dmitry Odintsov, 41, by immigration police on Tuesday came during a pre-New Year crackdown on foreigners staying illegally on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao islands of this southern province.
According to police investigators, Mr Odintsov opened the website https://psychologicalsececure.taplinksws offering psychological counselling to Russian tourists, charging them 2,500 baht per session.
He also set up the Samuisecure group with 89 members on Telegram, with Mr Odintsov himself being the administrator and using the name Space Pro.
Mr Odintsov was arrested by an immigration officer posing as a group member seeking counselling, at a convenience store in tambon Mae Nam on Koh Samui where he usually met his clients.
When asked to show his passport, the man said he did not have it with him. He was shown his entry record on the Immigration database, and admitted his visa expired on April 24, 2022. He had overstayed for 612 days, as of Tuesday.
He was charged with overstaying his visa and faces expulsion.
Pol Col Naruwat Putthawiro, the Surat Thani immigration police chief, said 16 foreigners had been arrested on the three islands for being in the country illegally since the visa crackdown began on Dec 18. Nine of them were overstayers.