Four Nigerian tourists arrested for overstaying their visas in Phuket

The arrests came following tip-offs from local residents in Muang District, who said the foreigners acted suspiciously, Bangkok Post reported late last week.

Police said the group of Nigerian citizens always rented houses in isolated areas and rarely went out. The four are being held at a police station for further investigation.

Overstaying for 90 days or more is a serious offense in Thailand, where offending tourists face deportation or being banned from reentering the Southeast Asian country.

Last month, Thai police also detained three South Korean nationals for overstaying their visas and sent them home.

Thailand received 11 million foreign visitors last year thanks to easing of Covid restrictions and introducing a new friendly visa policy.

The Thai government is targeting 25 million foreign arrivals this year.