SURAT THANI: A Hungarian man running a motorcycle rental business has been arrested on Koh Phangan for working in an occupation restricted to Thai nationals.
Police and immigration officers arrested Laszlo Meszaros, 40, of Hungary, at a rented house in tambon Koh Phangan of this tourist island and seized from him an air gun, Pol Col Apichart Chansamret, chief of Koh Phangan police station, said on Thursday.
The arrest followed complaints from tourists that Mr Meszaros often put his air gun around his waist and allegedly threatened those who rented his bikes during talks on damage that occurred to the vehicles or on rental fees. He also seized passports of those who rented his motorcycles. The arresting team found 29 passports of other tourists on his premises.
According to a police investigation, the Hungarian man entered the country under a tourist visa and had no work permit. He had nine motorbikes for rent.
During questioning, Mr Meszaros denied using the air gun to intimidate tourists renting his motorcycles.
He has been charged with being a foreign national working in a reserved occupation. He was held in police custody for legal action, said Pol Col Apichart.