Cambodian woman arrested for running home beauty salon in Trat with 14-year expired passport

2026-03-09 - 05:43

TRAT — Police in Trat have arrested a Cambodian woman accused of operating a small beauty salon from a rented house while staying in Thailand with a passport that expired more than 14 years ago. The arrest took place at about 11:30 on 7 March after residents alerted the provincial police radio centre that a foreign woman was running a salon inside a rented house in Soi Ta Chae, Village 1, Wang Krachae subdistrict, Mueang district. Officers from Mueang Trat Police Station inspected the two-storey house and found the ground floor set up like a beauty salon, with chairs, mirrors, hair dryers, a hair steamer, scissors and towels. The tenant, identified as Run, 58, a Cambodian national, admitted the hairdressing equipment belonged to her. Police later found that her passport had expired in 2012, more than 14 years ago. Run told officers she had lived in Thailand since 1995 and started a family here, with two children. She said she had not renewed her passport because the cost was too high. She added that the salon equipment previously belonged to her child and she had used it to provide services from home, including haircuts, hair washing and nail care, to both Thai and Cambodian customers. Neighbours said most customers were people living nearby and friends who came for simple hair services. The salon had reportedly been operating for nearly a year but did not open every day. Run lives alone at the house, while her son visits occasionally. Police initially took her to Mueang Trat Police Station for questioning and legal proceedings. Authorities said she will face charges under immigration law and will later be deported.