SURAT THANI: A Swiss man who has run a barber shop on Koh Phangan for nine years has been arrested for working in an occupation reserved for Thai nationals.
Tourist police and local officials arrested Oliver Ehrat, 51, at the Oliver Twist Hair shop in tambon Ban Tai on the tourist island on Tuesday.
A police investigation found that the Oliver Twist Hair shop had run advertisements on Facebook about hairstyling by a Swiss barber. Bookings could be made on WhatsApp.
During questioning, Mr Ehrat told police that he had obtained a work permit to work as the managing director of a business called Oliver Twist Art Co. However, for the past nine years he had been running the Oliver Twist Hair salon. Service fees ranged from 500 baht to 4,000 baht.
The arresting team charged him with working in an occupation not permitted for foreign nationals. He was handed over to officers at the Koh Phangan police station for legal action.
Prohibited occupations for foreigners. (Department of Employment)
