Police in Surat Thani have recommended prosecuting two companies and two Thai nationals over alleged nominee arrangements used to acquire land and develop villas on Koh Samui.
The case concerns the estate of French national Catherine Jolie Roland Germain Delacot, 59, who died in April 2024 and left assets worth almost 100 million baht to her Thai housekeeper.
Police recommend charges in land case
On 3 September 2569, Pol Lt Col Kittisak Charoenrup, deputy investigation superintendent at Muang Surat Thani police station and a member of the provincial nominee-case investigation team, submitted files recommending prosecution.
The files will be signed by Pol Maj Gen Suwat Suksri, commander of Surat Thani Provincial Police, before suspects are sent to prosecutors at the Koh Samui Provincial Prosecutor's Office.
The cases are recorded as criminal cases 399/2567 and 400/2567 at Koh Samui police station. They name G.V.N.E. Co Ltd and four parties, and Maxicat Co Ltd and four parties.
Investigators recommend charging both G.V.N.E. Co Ltd and Maxicat Co Ltd with foreign nationals conducting a land-trading business through nominee companies.
They also recommend charging Thongsai, 50, and Ratchaprapa, 36, with supporting a foreigner to conduct a land-trading business illegally. Police said there can be no prosecution against Ms Delacot, a company director, because she has died.
Estate followed death at Mae Nam villa
Ms Delacot died by suicide using a gun on 29 April 2024 at a luxury villa worth more than 50 million baht in Mae Nam, Koh Samui. Her will subsequently left assets valued at nearly 100 million baht to her close Thai housekeeper.
After her death, Surat Thani Provincial Police's centre for suppressing transnational crime and illegal immigration worked with an Army Region 4 task force dealing with state-land encroachment and natural-resource destruction.
Their examination identified suspected irregularities in Ms Delacot’s landholding and business operations, including the possible use of Thai individuals as shareholding nominees to set up companies and operate a property business.
Land, villas and alleged nominees
Investigators said Ms Delacot came to Thailand around 2007 and rented a home in Bo Phut, Koh Samui. In about March 2012, she took documents to a law office to arrange her registration as the authorised director of Maxicat Co Ltd.
Pictures courtesy of Daily News
Police said Thai nationals did not invest in the business. Maxicat then bought and received the transfer of 1 rai and 2 ngan of land for 2.7 million baht.
The land was subdivided for the construction of five villas known as Maprao, developed by G.V.N.E. Co Ltd. Between 2018 and 2022, three homes were sold for 7-8 million baht each, while the remaining two were offered on long-term rental arrangements to foreigners.
Police said the companies recorded losses and had never paid tax. In 2020, Maxicat changed its company directors after acquiring land, leaving Ms Delacot as the sole director. The company held a large three-storey villa valued at 50 million baht which was awaiting sale when she died.
For foreigners, the case is a reminder that Thailand closely scrutinises land purchases and villa developments involving Thai shareholding structures. Foreigners cannot generally own land directly, and authorities may investigate arrangements where Thai shareholders are suspected of acting on behalf of a foreign owner.
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