BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of Business Development (DBD), together with two parliamentary committees, has intensified inspections into suspected nominee businesses and illegal foreign labor in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang area, escalating efforts to tackle hidden foreign ownership and regulatory violations. Officials said a multi-agency task force recently returned to inspect businesses in Huai Khwang, working alongside the House Committee on Commerce and Intellectual Property, the House Committee on State Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and Reform, the Huai Khwang District Office, and Immigration Police.
DBD Director-General Poonpong Naiyanapakhorn said the department has already submitted data on 53 high-risk juristic entities to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) for financial tracing and transaction analysis. The cases are now under deeper investigation by relevant agencies.
In addition, authorities are examining 112 restaurants in Huai Khwang suspected of involving foreign co-investment, with further probes underway. Data has also been requested from all 50 district offices across Bangkok to expand inspections nationwide. Officials are coordinating with the Royal Thai Police, Revenue Department, Department of Employment, Department of Special Investigation, Immigration Bureau, and AMLO to strengthen enforcement, improve data sharing, and pursue legal action against offenders.
Authorities said Huai Khwang has become a priority monitoring area due to its large foreign business presence, raising concerns over nominee arrangements, illegal employment, and attempts to bypass restrictions on foreign ownership. Investigators also found continued attempts to use Thai nationals as proxy shareholders in restricted businesses, which officials warned could distort fair competition, affect economic integrity, and pose broader regulatory concerns. The DBD reaffirmed that inspections will continue across Bangkok and other regions, with a focus on dismantling nominee networks, enforcing the law strictly, and protecting legitimate entrepreneurs operating within the legal framework. (TNA)
