British man held for running illegal beauty clinic on Koh Phangan

A COMPLAINT by a tourist led to the arrest of a British man who secretly ran a beauty clinic for botox injections and laser treatment on Koh Phangan today (Sept. 3) with equipment worth around 3.5 million baht seized, Naewna newspaper said.

After the unidentified tourist who suffered some side effects including swelling and redness as a result of treatment at the illegal clinic filed a complaint with Tourist Police on the popular island, a police team led by Pol. Lt. Col. Winij Boonchit together with Koh Phangan District Chief Mr. Noppadol Khawmali raided a house in Koh Phangan subdistrict.

There they arrested Mr. Thomas William Foley, 42, after seizing over 100 items as evidence. Right in front of the house was a sign that said: “Delivery by Tom Foley, Jessica Piff 6 moo 5, Koh Phangan.”

He was charged with setting up a medical unit without permission in accordance with Section 16 of the Medical Facilities Act B.E. 2541,distributing drugs without permission in keeping with Section 12, holding unregistered drugs, distributing products that have not gone through customs and working in a field he has no right to do (beauty enhancement).

The suspect confessed that he has been running this beauty clinic for five months after renting the house from a Thai for 29,000 baht a month. He provided beauty enhancement services both within the clinic and outside the premises.

Customers booked an appointment via Whatsapp messaging application under the name Botox Koh Phangan, with prices ranging from 800-10,000 baht, depending on their choice of service.

He also said that he ordered products from China via Alibaba app with some purchased in Thailand.

The tourist who filed the complaint had suffered from swelling, redness, bruising at the injection site, allergic reaction leading to a stiff face and inability to control facial muscles.

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The British man being arrested at his illegal beauty clinic on Koh Phangan. Photos: Naewna