Illegal workers were arrested in a crackdown on shops and restaurants in Thailand.

Police detained the unauthorised employees in raids of nine massage parlours and eateries in the capital Bangkok on February 18.

Officers said seventeen foreigners of Burmese, Lao, Chinese, and undetermined nationalities were detained after they were found working without permits at the establishments. The suspects were taken to the Bangkok North Municipal Court and were transferred to the Immigration Bureau for deportation.

Police Colonel Prasopchok Iampinit, superintendent of the Huai Khwang District Police Station, said: ‘We investigated reports about foreign workers working illegally in the country until we confirmed they were working in the shops in Bangkok.

‘Most of them entered with tourist visas and worked illegally in restricted occupations for foreigners, such as in massage shops, barber shops, beauty salons, and as street vendors. We will question them to take legal action against their employers.'

Under Thailand's Foreign Employment Act, tourists are banned from working in dozens of occupations including tour guiding, labour work, agriculture, and hairdressing. They are also prohibited from working in the country without a valid permit.

Violators may be fined 5,000 to 50,000 THB (120 to 1,200 GBP) and may face deportation to their home country. They will also be banned from seeking a Thai work permit for two years.

While Thai employers may be fined between 10,000 and 100,000 baht per illegal employee.  Repeat violators face up to one year in jail, a steeper fine of 50,000 to 200,000 baht per illegal worker, and a three-year ban from hiring foreigners.