Arrested Russian man tried to bribe Koh Phangan police

An “influential” Russian man arrested for working without a permit and for visa violations tried to bribe Koh Phangan police with one million baht.

Tourist police on Phangan Island in Surat Thani province have arrested a 42-year-old Russian man for working without a permit, visa violations and attempting to bribe police officers with one million baht to avoid charges, Khaosod reported.

Police on the resort island have received complaints from locals about foreigners working without permits. Particular attention has been drawn to motorcycle rental activities advertised through the popular messenger Telegram in a group for Russian-speaking residents of Koh Phangan.

The Phangan Island Tourist Police investigated and found a user with the nickname “Bike Phangan Samui RENT SALE” offering motorcycles for rent on Telegram messenger. Police officers contacted the suspect through the platform and learned the rental details: 2,800 baht for one week, 2,100 baht for two weeks with a deposit of 3,500 baht.

After receiving a report of illegal activities of foreign nationals on Phangan Island, Tourism Police Commander Lt. Gen. Sak Sira Phuak-am ordered the suspect’s immediate arrest.

The arrested foreigner turned out to be a 42-year-old Russian citizen surnamed Chervenko, living on the island in a Pooltrap Village bungalow. Upon arrest, five motorcycles of various brands, including Honda ADV, Honda Click and Yamaha NMAX, were seized from the suspect.

During interrogation, Chervenko admitted that he had not left the kingdom and was in the country illegally. Before his arrest, he rented motorcycles to earn a living. The most surprising aspect, however, was the attempted bribery of police officers. According to the police report, Chervenko offered:

"Officer, how about I give you one million baht for my release? I'll call a friend who will bring the money within 20 minutes. Then it will be over, and you can go home to your families and enjoy a nice dinner together."

At that, the Russian smiled broadly and gave the officers two thumbs up.

Curiously, other Russian tourists characterized Chervenko as an influential figure in Russia. However, this did not help the Russians avoid charges of working without authorization, violating visa regulations for 175 days and attempting to bribe an official in the line of duty.

This case reminds travellers again of the importance of complying with the host country’s laws, and that attempts to bribe officials can lead to severe consequences. Travellers should be aware that Thailand, despite its reputation as a “land of smiles”,” has strict laws, especially regarding foreigners who violate visa regulations or engage in illegal activities.