Thailand targets Bt1bn suspected foreign nominee land network in Andaman provinces

Thailand has stepped up its crackdown on suspected foreign nominee networks in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi after authorities inspected 89 land plots worth more than 1 billion baht, in a move aimed at curbing illegal foreign control of land and businesses in major tourism provinces.

Deputy government spokesperson Ploythale Laksameesangchan said the operation was carried out under Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s urgent policy to dismantle “nominee” networks, in which Thai nationals are allegedly used to hold shares on behalf of foreigners. The campaign is also part of the government’s wider action plan to prevent and tackle transnational crime.

PM to announce crackdown results

Anutin is scheduled to join the Royal Thai Police at 11am on Monday, June 22, at the Inner Santi Maitri Building, Government House, to announce the results of operations against scammers and transnational nominee networks.

According to the government, the latest operation, titled “Dismantling Foreign Nominee Networks Phase 3”, involved more than 500 officers from the Royal Thai Police and related agencies. The raids targeted Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, where authorities inspected 89 land plots covering a combined area of 49 rai, 1 ngan and 6.4 square wah, with land and buildings valued at about 1.053 billion baht.

Phuket firms under scrutiny

In Phuket, authorities found 10 companies suspected of acting as nominees, involving four land plots covering 2 rai, 1 ngan and 50.5 square wah, worth about 116 million baht. The court approved arrest warrants for 12 foreign nationals, totalling 13 warrants.

Officials also identified 39 companies that had bought and occupied land while having foreign shareholders accounting for more than half of their ownership. These companies were linked to 52 land plots covering about 12 rai, 2 ngan and 62.5 square wah, worth around 115 million baht. The court approved 29 search warrants.

In total, the two groups in Phuket involved 56 land plots covering about 15 rai and 13 square wah, with a combined value of roughly 231 million baht.

Phang Nga case includes land office complaint

In Phang Nga, authorities found nine companies suspected of acting as nominees, involving seven land plots covering 17 rai, 3 ngan and 18 square wah, worth about 269 million baht. The court approved six arrest warrants and three search warrants, and one foreign suspect was arrested.

Officials also found one landholding company in which foreign shareholders outnumbered Thai shareholders. The company held one plot covering 9 rai, 3 ngan and 20.4 square wah. A land official from the Takua Pa branch filed a complaint against Ataman Co Ltd over land and buildings worth about 54 million baht.

Thai and foreign suspects arrested in Krabi

In Krabi, authorities found nine companies suspected of nominee activity, involving 17 land plots covering 6 rai, 1 ngan and 12.4 square wah, worth about 209 million baht.

The court approved 40 arrest warrants and 13 search warrants. Authorities arrested 26 Thai suspects and 12 foreign suspects, who were handed over to investigators for legal proceedings.

Officials also found eight landholding companies in which foreign shareholders outnumbered Thai shareholders. These companies were linked to eight land plots covering 8 rai and 25.6 square wah, worth about 290 million baht. The court approved six search warrants to allow officials to gather evidence and question people linked to the landholdings.

29 suspected nominee firms, 48 foreign-dominated landholding firms

In summary, the Phase 3 operation in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga found 29 companies suspected of acting as nominees and 48 landholding companies in which foreign shareholders outnumbered Thai shareholders.

Authorities proceeded under legal warrants and related procedures, with 59 arrest warrants and 60 search warrants issued. The operation covered 89 land plots with a combined area of 49 rai, 1 ngan and 6.4 square wah. The total value of the land and structures was 1,053,518,872 baht.

Ploythale said the Prime Minister had ordered authorities to expand the crackdown nationwide and continue strict enforcement. The public has been urged to report suspected illegal foreign investment activity to local police stations or the Royal Thai Police hotline 1599, available 24 hours a day.

Crackdown follows Koh Phangan raids

The latest Andaman operation follows earlier crackdowns on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani, where authorities had been investigating suspected foreign nominee structures in property and tourism-related businesses.

On May 13, authorities raided luxury villas, a law office and shops on the island as part of a wider probe into whether corporate and legal structures were being used to help foreign investors control property through Thai nominees. Officials said the operation was aimed at protecting local businesses, preventing illegal control of land and restricted businesses, and ensuring that foreign investment complies with Thai law.

A later Phase 2 operation on Koh Phangan involved more than 300 officers and targeted companies suspected of acting as nominee businesses. Police said the first group involved 32 companies with clear nominee structures, 45 land plots covering more than 40 rai, 22 foreign arrests and damage assessed at more than 200 million baht.

Authorities said the Koh Phangan campaign was part of a broader effort to prevent transnational crime, illegal business operations and the displacement of Thai workers by foreign operators. Police also said the first phase of the operation had focused on upstream and midstream networks, including law firms, accounting firms and nominee companies.

Lawful foreign investment still welcome

The government’s message is that Thailand remains open to lawful foreign investment, but is moving more aggressively against nominee arrangements allegedly used to bypass landholding and business ownership rules.

The Department of Business Development has also been tightening checks on foreign-linked companies in key tourism areas, including scrutiny of Thai shareholders’ financial capacity to determine whether they are genuine investors or merely lending their names to foreign operators.