The Ministry of Interior ordered a wider investigation into suspected nominee businesses, with 112 juristic persons on Koh Pha Ngan under scrutiny over possible illegal land ownership.
Deputy Interior Minister Worawit Liangprasert said today, August 25, that authorities had been ordered to combine information from multiple agencies and investigate land ownership, hotels, businesses and foreign workers, particularly on Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan.
The investigation aims to identify businesses operating legally, cases requiring further investigation and offences that require legal action.
Surat Thani has 25,864 registered juristic persons, including 11,721 with foreign shareholders. Of these, 9,281 have foreign shareholders holding more than 49% of the shares.
Koh Samui has 12,906 registered juristic persons, while Koh Pha Ngan has 5,009. Authorities are treating both islands as key economic areas requiring closer inspections.
Initial checks found 5,486 juristic persons sharing the same registered address and 4,621 people holding shares in multiple companies. Officials stressed that these figures do not mean the businesses or individuals have committed offences and that further checks are required.
Authorities also investigated foreign ownership of land on Koh Pha Ngan. Of the 1,832 juristic persons registered on the island, 112 have foreign shareholders and are suspected of illegally owning land. Together, they hold 124 land plots covering more than 34 acres.
Authorities have also expanded inspections to hotels and businesses on Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan. Several locations on Koh Pha Ngan have been identified for inspection, including hotels allegedly operating without licences and companies linked to them.
The investigation also covers foreign workers in Surat Thani. The province has issued work permits to 7,542 foreign nationals, including 4,101 on Koh Samui and 2,513 on Koh Pha Ngan.
Authorities have taken legal action against 104 foreign workers accused of offences including working without permission, working outside the scope of their permits and taking jobs reserved for Thai nationals. Action has also been taken against 46 employers and businesses.
Worawit ordered provincial authorities and relevant agencies to speed up investigations and ensure cases are followed through under the law.
He said the operation was not about simply reporting the number of cases but ensuring justice for both those who broke the law and innocent business operators.
Related news
- A legal way for foreigners to own a house in Thailand, without nominee companies
- Foreigners say they were advised into nominee scheme by law firms
- Officials say foreigners own only 6% of Koh Pha Ngan following locals’ concerns
The story Interior Ministry probes 112 firms over Koh Pha Ngan land holdings as seen on Thaiger News.
