SURAT THANI: An Indian man has been arrested for overstaying his visa after trying to use a document falsely identifying himself as a Myanmar migrant to seek permission for continued residence and work in Thailand.
Pol Col Naruewat Phutthawiro, superintendent of Surat Thani immigration office, said on Saturday that he had ordered an investigation into foreign nationals overstaying their visas on three popular tourist islands - Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.
The investigation followed information from the provincial immigration office suggesting that some Indian nationals used fake documents, presenting themselves as migrant workers from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. They aimed to obtain permission to stay and work in the kingdom, exploiting a 2023 cabinet resolution that relaxed regulations for migrant workers from these three countries already in Thailand. The resolution allows them to extend their stay and continue working legally in the country.
On Friday, a 36-year-old man claiming to be a Myanmar migrant worker, Jay Ka Mar, applied at the Surat Thani immigration office to extend his stay and work under the cabinet resolution on Oct 3 last year.
Upon biometric fingerprint scanning, the results revealed the fingerprints matched those of an Indian man, identified as Sanjay Singh, 40, who had previously entered Thailand on Dec 11, 2019, for business, with an authorised stay until Dec 6, 2022.
Immigration officers then checked entry records and found that Sanjay Singh was the same person with the applicant claiming to be the Myanmar migrant worker.
The records showed the Indian man had entered Thailand on Dec 11, 2019, and he was allowed to stay until Dec 6, 2022, for business reasons.
Officers said no records indicated an extension or departure, revealing an overstay of 423 days.
During questioning, Singh admitted using the false identity to evade immigration offences related to his visa expiration.
The arresting team charged him with overstaying before handing him over to police at Bo Phud station for legal action.
Immigration officers apprehend Sanjay Singh, an Indian national, for using a false identity as a Myanmar migrant. (Photo: Surat Thani immigration office)