PATTAYA, Thailand – On October 8th, 2025, at 3:36 AM, a joint operation involving Pattaya City Police, Tourist Police, Immigration Police, and Pattaya Special Affairs officials was launched to address illegal foreign workers and beggars undermining local employment and the city’s reputation. The operation, led by Pol. Lt. Col. Siriwat Kachamat, Deputy Superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, Pol. Lt. Col. Torlap Tinamat, Tourist Police Inspector, Pol. Lt. Col. Suchart Dusadee, Pattaya Police Inspector, and Pol. Sub-Lt. Ingkwat Kriengsinkulyot, Immigration Deputy Inspector, targeted the Walking Street area in South Pattaya.
Officers, both in uniform and plainclothes, were deployed to seal off alleys leading to Walking Street, a popular nightlife hub. Despite light rain reducing tourist numbers that evening, authorities identified several violations. Among them were Cambodian nationals selling roses while carrying a child approximately one year old, a foreign disabled man begging on the sidewalk, and a 57-year-old Vietnamese woman also selling roses.
A 25-year-old Cambodian woman, detained during the operation, admitted she had been in Thailand for six years, initially working other jobs. After becoming pregnant and raising two children, aged four and one, she turned to selling flowers to tourists to support her family, an activity she had not done before. She cooperated fully with authorities and acknowledged her wrongdoing.
In total, nine individuals were detained: four adult Cambodians, three Cambodian children, one Thai adult, and a six-year-old Thai girl accompanying her mother to sell flowers. Evidence, including cash cans and flowers, was seized. All suspects were handed over to investigators for legal proceedings.
The operation reflects ongoing efforts to curb illegal activities by foreign nationals, protect local job opportunities, and preserve Pattaya’s image as a premier tourist destination.
