Great wall of shame! Chinese tourists nabbed in Pattaya jobsLegacyPattaya police smashed two major illegal foreign worker rackets, busting 23 Chinese posing as tourists on building sites and another 50 foreigners running a sleazy gambling and sex empire out of a swanky Pattaya block. Under orders from National Police Chief Police General Kittirat Phanphet to crack down on dodgy foreign labour, Thailand’s Tourist Police swooped on two sites yesterday, June 18, uncovering Chinese nationals illegally grafting in the construction trade. In Rayong’s Mab Yang Phon area, a tip-off led officers to a site along Route 2026, where 11 Chinese workers were caught on the tools despite only holding tourist visas. Each was raking in about 25,000 baht a month. They were charged under the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) for working without permission and the Foreign Workers Management Emergency Decree B.E. 2560 (2017), which carries stiff penalties under Section 101. Pictures courtesy of Pattaya News Later the same day, cops raided a mystery address near Pattaya South Soi 1 after securing a search warrant (No. 124/2568) from Pattaya Provincial Court. Inside, they found another 12 Chinese workers, also here on tourist visas, grafting away on a building project. Their pay ranged from 20,000 to 40,000 baht a month depending on their roles, but none had the proper paperwork. They were slapped with the same charges and hauled off to Pattaya City Police Station. All confessed to the crimes, Pattaya News reported. Officials say the busts are part of an ongoing clampdown on foreign nationals abusing tourist visas to work illegally in Thailand’s booming construction sector. It’s not yet clear whether the Thai employers behind the sites will face charges. Pictures courtesy of Pattaya News Meanwhile, over 50 officers raided a glitzy eight-storey apartment block in central Pattaya – unmasking it as a front for a seedy underground empire. The luxury building, known as Holiday, sat in Soi Paniad Chang and was kitted out with 50 lavishly decorated rooms. But behind the flash façade lay illegal gambling, call centre cons, and prostitution. At 12.30am on June 17, officers from Chon Buri Immigration, Mueang Pattaya Police, and the local administrative office raided the complex – collaring 50 foreigners. The second floor operated as a full-blown casino, where 20 gamblers were nabbed, including 16 Chinese, three Vietnamese, and one Singaporean. Police seized over a million baht in chips, ten decks of cards, and a trove of gambling gear. Floors three to seven served as living quarters – but also housed a karaoke bar offering sex services to mainly Chinese punters. A further 24 foreign workers were arrested, including 16 Chinese, two Singaporeans, one Cambodian, and five Burmese nationals. Investigations are ongoing into the broader network behind the operation. The story Great wall of shame! Chinese tourists nabbed in Pattaya jobs as seen on Thaiger News.