Committee probes nominee land ownership and data leaks

Matichon•Politics•3d ago

Reader Briefing

The House Committee on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption is investigating the use of Thai nominees by foreigners to hold land and businesses, particularly in Phuket.

•Asapol Sarntraiphop announced that the committee is probing the use of nominees for business registration and land ownership in Phuket.
•The Department of Lands identified 4,041 high-risk entities nationwide, including 361 in Phuket.
•The Anti-Money Laundering Office reported seizing over 10 billion baht in assets related to nominee activities nationwide.
•The committee will summon directors of the Department of Provincial Administration and the Department of Land Transport on August 13 regarding personal data collection.

Overview

•Asapol Sarntraiphop held a press conference on August 6 following a committee meeting.
•The committee previously visited Phuket on June 26–27 to gather information on foreigners using Thai nominees to hold land and businesses.
•The Department of Lands found 4,041 risk-group entities among 203,000 inspected entities nationwide.
•In Phuket, the Department of Lands identified 361 risk-group entities out of 6,621, with 109 cases reported and 34 prosecuted.
•The Anti-Money Laundering Office is amending the law to make nominee-related offenses a predicate offense under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 1999.
•Nominee screening measures in Phuket resulted in a more than 50% decrease in foreign business operations and approximately 20% business closures.
•On August 13, the committee will meet with the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration and the Director-General of the Department of Land Transport to discuss state official data collection.

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Key Quotes

Asapol Sarntraiphop

"The committee considers that the use of nominees is a critical issue that all agencies must cooperate on and integrate data between each other."

กมธ.พิจารณาแล้วเห็นว่า ปัญหาการใช้นอมินีเป็นประเด็นสำคัญที่ทุกหน่วยงานต้องประสานความร่วมมือและบูรณาการข้อมูลระหว่างกัน

Key Entities

Person

Asapol Sarntraiphop(อาสพลธ์ สรรณ์ไตรภพ)

MP for Si Sa Ket from the Bhumjaithai Party and Chairman of the House Committee on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption.

Organization

House Committee on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption(คณะกรรมาธิการการป้องกันและปราบปรามการทุจริตประพฤติมิชอบ สภาผู้แทนราษฎร)

A parliamentary committee investigating the use of nominees and state official conduct.

Department of Lands(กรมที่ดิน)

The agency that identified 4,041 risk-group entities nationwide regarding land ownership.

Anti-Money Laundering Office(สำนักงานคณะกรรมการป้องกันและปราบปรามการฟอกเงิน)

The agency that seized over 10 billion baht in assets and is amending the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Department of Business Development(กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า)

The agency responsible for business registration and screening nominee entities.

Economic Crime Suppression Division(กองบังคับการปราบปรามการกระทำความผิดเกี่ยวกับอาชญากรรมทางเศรษฐกิจ)

The law enforcement agency that prosecuted 68 cases related to the Foreign Business Act.

Board of Investment(สำนักงานคณะกรรมการส่งเสริมการลงทุน)

The agency that verifies if foreign entities have received investment promotion.

Department of Provincial Administration(กรมการปกครอง)ℹ️

An agency whose Director-General will be summoned by the committee on August 13.

Department of Land Transport(กรมการขนส่งทางบก)

An agency whose Director-General will be summoned by the committee on August 13.

Expressway Authority of Thailand(การทางพิเศษแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

An agency whose governor will be summoned to provide information on August 13.

Bhumjaithai Party(พรรคภูมิใจไทย)ℹ️

The political party to which Asapol Sarntraiphop belongs.

Place

Phuket(ภูเก็ต)ℹ️

The province where the committee investigated the illegal holding of land and businesses by foreigners.

Law

Anti-Money Laundering Act 1999(พระราชบัญญัติป้องกันและปราบปรามการฟอกเงิน พ.ศ.2542)

The law currently being amended to include nominee offenses as predicate offenses.

Foreign Business Act 1999(พระราชบัญญัติการประกอบธุรกิจของคนต่างด้าว พ.ศ. 2542)

The law under which most nominee-related business cases are prosecuted.