Thailand’s Department of Business Development has uncovered a suspected nominee scheme in Sakon Nakhon, where a broker allegedly bought copies of villagers’ ID documents to register dozens of companies without their knowledge.
The department’s director-general, Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, announced the findings on August 16 after officials inspected company registrations across four districts: Khok Si Suphan, Mueang, Phu Phan and Sawang Daen Din.
Officials found 35 companies registered with entirely Chinese shareholders across the first three districts, along with a further 14 companies registered with entirely Thai shareholders in Sawang Daen Din, which are now under review for a possible nominee structure.
According to the department, a woman based in Khok Si Suphan district acted as a broker, sourcing copies of house registration documents and ID cards from residents. She offered 500 to 1,000 baht per document set and collected more than 35 sets, which she then passed to Chinese investors in exchange for 1,500 baht per set.
Residents said the broker had told them the documents would be used to register an “online business” on a well-known platform. They said they were never told, and never agreed, that their documents would be used to register limited companies.
In most cases, the person who handed over the documents was not the homeowner but a family member or resident living in the house, without the homeowner’s knowledge.
Officials from the provincial commerce office, provincial administration, Khok Si Suphan district administration, Khok Si Suphan police station and the Internal Security Operations Command’s Sakon Nakhon office inspected every registered address.
They found no functioning office, signage or business activity at any site, only ordinary homes still occupied by residents.
Every homeowner interviewed said they had never known or agreed to their address being used to register a company. Officials have advised the homeowners to file police complaints, and some have already accused the broker of fraud and of unlawfully using other people’s official documents.
Others have held back from doing so, as the documents in some cases were handed over by their own children or relatives.
Poonpong said the department will investigate further to establish whether Thai citizens are being used as nominees to conceal foreign capital, and will roll out similar checks on company registrations nationwide.
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