Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered the removal of a Chinese-language billboard offering to help people get passports and citizenship of several countries, seen in Huai Khwang district of Bangkok.
The minister's secretary, Traisuree Taisaranakul, said on Monday that Mr Anutin acted after social media users dew attention to and expressed concern about a billboard at Huai Khwang intersection.
Mr Anutin ordered the immediate removal of the billboard on Monday morning. He instructed officials to look into whether it had been legally erected and whether the business was legal. The findings would be made public, the minister's secretary said.
“The government facilitates visits to attract currency inflow and distribute income to people. Simultaneously it prioritises screening to prevent criminals from arriving as tourists and using Thailand as a base for illegal activities,” Ms Traisuree said.
The billboard pictured a man of Chinese appearance with a Chinese name holding a passport and advertising various fees in yuan, the Chinese currency, for applications for passports and citizenship of countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey and Vanuatu.
The controversy arose after a photo of the billboard was posted by Facebook user Pai Charudul on Sunday.