Law enforcement in Thailand conducted a major operation Friday at an illegal educational facility on Koh Phangan island, leading to multiple arrests after discovering the school was caring for nearly five times the number of children it was authorized to handle, according to Bangkok Post.
Officers descended on Arki Kid School located in Moo 3 village, where they found 89 Israeli children present despite the facility only being permitted to serve 18 children between ages two and 12.
Police took into custody Aidin Kishipoor and Ndin Kishipoor, both 45-year-old Iranian nationals, along with 61-year-old Thai citizen Prathumthip Yu-in. The trio faces charges including running an unauthorized private educational institution, hiring foreign workers without proper documentation, failure to register international employees, and violations of child welfare laws.
The investigation revealed the school depended extensively on international staff members. Forty workers originated from Myanmar, while others came from various nations. Three individuals from South Africa and one American citizen were charged with unauthorized employment. Additionally, a French woman and South African woman, despite possessing valid work documentation, faced prosecution for inadequate reporting of their job responsibilities.
Financial records showed the educational center charged families 64,000 baht for each child’s semester tuition.
The island of Koh Phangan has become home to an expanding Israeli population, with approximately 2,500 Israeli residents currently living there.
Documentation from the institution’s website outlined their educational philosophy, stating: “While we don’t adhere strictly to an external curriculum, we align our approach with international education standards to ensure that our students acquire the same foundational knowledge as their peers in other international schools.”
