4 Russians Arrested in Pattaya Real Estate Nominee Crackdown

MGR Online•Society•3d ago

Reader Briefing

Thai authorities launched 'Nominee Foreigner Network Phase 4' in Chonburi, arresting 54 people and targeting 33 companies involved in illegal land holding.

•Joint forces searched 41 locations in Chonburi on July 17.
•54 suspects, including Thais and foreigners, were charged in connection with 33 companies.
•Assets and land involved in the cases are valued at approximately 235.2 million baht.
•One significant case in Ban Bueng District involves Chinese capital holding 268 rai of land worth 346 million baht.

Overview

•Authorities conducted searches at 41 points on July 17.
•Royal Thai Police and other agencies arrested 54 suspects, including a 43-year-old Chinese woman acting as a real estate broker.
•Investigation found 76,343 registered companies in Chonburi, with 28,463 having foreign shareholders.
•The operation targeted companies using Thai nationals as nominees to bypass land ownership and business restrictions.
•In Pattaya, 6 real estate projects comprising 775 houses were inspected, involving 435 foreign-linked companies.
•Pol. Gen. Samran Nuanma warned law firms and accounting offices against structuring businesses to evade the law.
•Governor Naris Niramaiwong reported that approximately 350 companies clearly involve foreign land ownership across 549 plots.
•Chonburi Province will increase monitoring of building permits and hotel licenses to prevent foreign nominee land holdings.

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Key Quotes

Pol. Gen. Samran Nuanma

"Confirming that the government still welcomes tourists and foreign investment, but investors must conduct business legally."

ยืนยันว่า ภาครัฐยังคงยินดีต้อนรับนักท่องเที่ยวและการลงทุนจากต่างประเทศ แต่ผู้ลงทุนต้องดำเนินธุรกิจอย่างถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย

Key Entities

Person

Pol. Gen. Samran Nuanma(พล.ต.อ.สำราญ นวลมา)

Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Center for Suppression of Transnational Crime and Illegal Immigration.

Mr. Naris Niramaiwong(นายนริศ นิรามัยวงศ์)

Governor of Chonburi Province.

Organization

Royal Thai Police(สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ)ℹ️

The national police force that coordinated the operation to suppress foreign nominee networks.

Center for Suppression of Transnational Crime and Illegal Immigration(ศูนย์ปราบปรามคนร้ายข้ามชาติและเข้าเมืองโดยผิดกฎหมาย)

The agency directed by Pol. Gen. Samran Nuanma to suppress illegal foreign business activities.

Department of Business Development(กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า)

The government agency that provided data and participated in the nominee crackdown.

Revenue Department(กรมสรรพากร)

The tax agency involved in the integrated investigation of foreign nominee companies.

Place

Chonburi(ชลบุรี)ℹ️

The province where the nominee network operation was conducted.

Pattaya(พัทยา)ℹ️

The city in Chonburi where real estate projects worth over 5 billion baht were linked to the investigation.

Ban Bueng District(อ.บ้านบึง)ℹ️

The area where evidence linked Chinese capital to the illegal holding of 5 land plots.

Law

Foreign Business Act(พระราชบัญญัติการประกอบธุรกิจของคนต่างด้าว)

The law that foreign entities may have attempted to avoid by using Thai nominees.