Chinese Nominees Seize 30 Billion Baht in Thai State Projects

MGR Online•General•19d ago

Reader Briefing

The Department of Special Investigation uncovered a Chinese construction capital network using Thai nominees and distressed companies to secure over 27,000 million baht in Thai government projects.

•The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) arrested Mr. Chuanling Zhang on April 19, 2025, regarding nominee business operations.
•The network utilized a 'head-swapping' strategy, replacing blacklisted entities like China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd. with Tier-2 companies such as China Real Estate Co., Ltd.
•The network secured 29 government projects totaling between 27,000 and 30,000 million baht.
•China Real Estate Co., Ltd. formed a joint venture with Nawarat Patanakarn PCL to bid for a 9.5 billion baht Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) water tunnel project.

Overview

•Nawarat Patanakarn PCL (NWR) filed for business reorganization with the Central Bankruptcy Court on May 29, 2026, due to severe financial losses.
•China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and China Real Estate Co., Ltd. were registered on August 10, 2018, with Mr. Sophon Meechai holding 51% and Mr. Chuanling Zhang holding 49% of shares.
•The nominee network won at least 29 government projects with a total budget of 27,803 million baht, involving the Department of Highways and the Royal Irrigation Department.
•Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong announced the arrest of Mr. Chuanling Zhang on April 19, 2025, and the issuance of arrest warrants for Mr. Sophon Meechai.
•The network used a 'scaffolding model' by partnering with financially unstable Thai contractors to bypass e-GP regulations and maintain a clean criminal record for new bids.
•The network transferred work to their own foreign network companies to control machinery and budgets, leaving only a margin for the Thai nominees.
•Critics question the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Governor Chadchart Sittipunt for allowing a joint venture linked to DSI nominee cases to win a 9.5 billion baht project.

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Key Quotes

Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong

"From the preliminary investigation, Mr. Chuanling Zhang denied all charges, claiming he is only a representative of a Chinese state enterprise investing in Thailand, but DSI found evidence of loans over 2,000 million baht using Thais as front shareholders."

จากการสอบสวนเบื้องต้น นายชวนหลิง จาง ให้การปฏิเสธทุกข้อหา โดยอ้างว่าตนเป็นเพียงผู้แทนรัฐวิสาหกิจของประเทศจีนที่เข้ามาลงทุนในไทย แต่ DSI พบหลักฐานทางการเงินกู้ยืมกว่า 2,000 ล้านบาท ที่ใช้คนไทยบังหน้าถือหุ้นแทน

Key Entities

Organization

Nawarat Patanakarn PCL(บริษัท เนาวรัตน์พัฒนาการ จำกัด (มหาชน))

A Thai construction company that filed for business reorganization on May 29, 2026, and formed a joint venture with China Real Estate.

China Real Estate Co., Ltd.(บริษัท ไชน่า เรียลเอสเตท จำกัด)

A Tier-2 company in a Chinese capital network used to replace blacklisted entities and bid for BMA projects.

China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd.(บริษัท ไชน่า เรลเวย์ นัมเบอร์ 10 (ประเทศไทย) จำกัด)

A Tier-1 company used as a front for the Chinese construction network and was involved in the State Audit Office building collapse.

Italian-Thai Development PCL(บมจ.อิตาเลียนไทยฯ)ℹ️

A Thai construction company that partnered with China Railway in a joint venture for the State Audit Office building project.

Department of Special Investigation(กรมสอบสวนคดีพิเศษ)ℹ️

The agency that investigated the nominee network and arrested Mr. Chuanling Zhang.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration(กทม.)ℹ️

The local government body whose water tunnel project was won by a joint venture involving China Real Estate.

STP Import-Export (Thailand) Co., Ltd.(บริษัท เอสทีพี อิมปอร์ต-เอ็กปอร์ต (ประเทศไทย) จำกัด)

A network company formerly known as China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

Haihan Co., Ltd.(บริษัท ไฮห่าน จำกัด)

A company within the network where Mr. Sophon Meechai holds shares.

United Star Group Co., Ltd.(บริษัท ยูไนเต็ด สตาร์ กรุ๊ป จำกัด)

A legal entity in the network where Mr. Sophon Meechai holds shares.

Department of Highways(กรมทางหลวง)

A government department whose projects were won by the nominee network.

Royal Irrigation Department(กรมชลประทาน)

A government department whose projects were won by the nominee network.

State Audit Office(สำนักงานการตรวจเงินแผ่นดิน (สตง.))

The entity whose office building collapsed and was part of a project involving the nominee network.

Central Bankruptcy Court(ศาลล้มละลายกลาง)

The court where Nawarat Patanakarn PCL filed for business reorganization.

Person

Mr. Chuanling Zhang(นายชวนหลิง จาง)

A director and shareholder in the China Railway and China Real Estate network who was arrested on April 19, 2025.

Mr. Sophon Meechai(นายโสภณ มีชัย)

A Thai shareholder and director who acted as a nominee for Chinese capital and is subject to an arrest warrant.

Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong(พ.ต.อ.ทวี สอดส่อง)

The Minister of Justice who announced the arrest of Mr. Chuanling Zhang.

Chadchart(ชัชชาติ)ℹ️

The Governor of Bangkok questioned about the awarding of projects to nominee-linked companies.

Law

Foreign Business Act(พ.ร.บ.การประกอบธุรกิจของคนต่างด้าว)

The law under which Mr. Sophon Meechai was charged for nominee activities.