Immigration officers confirmed the arrest took place on Wednesday (Sept 17) after investigators tracked the man, named by police only as 37-year-old ‘Mr Peng’, to a Chinese restaurant in Wichit.
Phuket Immigration officers, working with the Crime Suppression Division of Immigration Bureau 6, waited in hiding and took Mr Peng into custody as he dined at the restaurant.
The Immigration Bureau was informed by Chinese authorities that Mr Peng was wanted in China on charges of embezzling state property worth tens of millions of baht. He had fled the country and was believed to be hiding in Thailand.
A check of Immigration records confirmed that Mr Peng had overstayed his permit to stay in Thailand by 272 days. He was charged for overstaying and handed over to investigators for legal proceedings. Coordination with the Chinese Embassy is now underway for further action.
Immigration Bureau Commissioner Lt Gen Panumas Boonyalak in a statement said the arrest was part of ongoing efforts to crack down on foreign criminals hiding in Thailand.
“The Immigration Bureau is committed to preventing foreigners from using Thailand as a base for illegal business activities, transnational crime, and other offences that affect public safety and confidence in Phuket as a tourist destination,” Lt Gen Panumas said.