KOH PHANGAN, Thailand – Thai police launched a major second-phase operation targeting illegal foreign nominee businesses on Koh Phangan, arresting 22 foreign nationals and seizing more than 40 rai of land worth over 200 million baht in one of the island’s largest crackdowns to date. At 6 a.m. on May 23, Pol. Gen. Samran Nuanma, Deputy National Police Chief and head of Thailand’s transnational crime and illegal immigration suppression center, ordered a coordinated raid dubbed “Koh Phangan Foreign Nominee Crackdown Phase 2.”
The operation was led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Noppasin Poolsawat and involved more than 300 officers executing 36 court-approved search warrants across the island. Investigators simultaneously pursued 39 criminal cases and secured 45 arrest warrants targeting foreign nationals accused of illegally operating restricted businesses through Thai nominee shareholders and unlawfully possessing land. Authorities focused on 32 companies suspected of acting as nominee firms for foreign investors. One major target allegedly involved an Israeli national identified as the true owner of a company that used Thai shareholders as fronts while controlling eight plots of land covering approximately 7.5 rai worth more than 60 million baht. Police also accused the business of illegally operating a hotel without proper licensing.
Officials said the second-phase operation uncovered two major groups of suspect businesses.
The first group involved 32 clear nominee companies linked to 45 land plots totaling more than 40 rai. Police arrested 22 foreign suspects and estimated damages exceeding 200 million baht. The second group involved another 32 companies where foreign shareholders allegedly held greater ownership control than Thai nationals. These firms controlled an additional 38 land plots, mostly undeveloped land. Authorities carried out inspections at 21 of those companies to gather evidence for further legal action.
Police said the nationwide anti-nominee campaign follows urgent government directives aimed at dismantling illegal foreign business structures using Thai proxies to hold assets and land.
Investigators previously launched Phase 1 of the operation on May 13, targeting law firms, accounting firms, and nominee company networks tied to suspected illegal foreign ownership schemes. Earlier investigations allegedly uncovered companies registered using the names of low-income Thai welfare card holders and employees as proxy shareholders, while more than 100 foreign-linked firms were reportedly registered under the same address. Thai police say further investigations will now focus on financial trails, hidden ownership structures, and whether any government officials were involved in facilitating the schemes. Authorities insist the crackdown is intended to protect local businesses, prevent illegal foreign influence, and restore order to Koh Phangan as an international tourist destination.
