Hua Hin pool villa nominee raids net 13 foreigners

So what if the 51% nominee share owners don't want to now give up their shares after the farang sells his49%

51% shareholders do not automatically lose their shares when a 49% foreign stake is sold. Under corporate law, selling one shareholder's equity does not cancel or transfer another independent party’s shares unless they are the ones who sold their shares in the transaction.

Transfer requirements: For a 51% shareholder to lose or transfer their shares, they must willingly sign a share transfer instrument, sell them, or face a court-ordered forfeiture or corporate liquidation.

https://brerrabbitlegal.co.th/insights/thai-nominee-shareholder-risks-thailand/

4 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

His property is in his wife's name, so would be passed down to her kids

Not entirely sure of that. He'd still be in line for a share of the Estate. I seem to recall that if a foreigner inherts land/property of a Thai spouse he has one year to dispose of it. A bit like what's going on now..

10 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

Not entirely sure of that. He'd still be in line for a share of the Estate. I seem to recall that if a foreigner inherts land/property of a Thai spouse he has one year to dispose of it. A bit like what's going on now..

Maybe for others, but there a will stipulating all goes to her.

I'm trying to imagine what these people who've been charged over illegal property sales and have one year to sell will do if no buyers by month 11. Will they strip the house of all assets? Demolish it out of spite?

11 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

I'm trying to imagine what these people who've been charged over illegal property sales and have one year to sell will do if no buyers by month 11. Will they strip the house of all assets? Demolish it out of spite?

They better hurry, as AI suggest that my not be the case much longer ...

Google this if wanting more details from AI ...

... " do those caught up in the illegal company to buy property in thailand have one your to liquidate holdings after conviction " ...

Zero control. Under Thai law he can't own it. He would have to sign it over to her kids, and then hope they don't want to move into it or sell it, and allow him to remain living in it. 😂

That's not true of course, a farang who buys or builds a house for a Thai partner typically does not just pay for the house, he also is the financial foundation for the spouse, and indeed her mother, father, and possibly aunt or sister brother etc, ie he supports them financially or aids them financially in significant ways. This in and of itself gives some measure of soft power and control, because no partner would want to get rid of a farang partner who has such financial importance in her and her family's life.

If you help her financially and her family, and don't act like a wild buffalo, the odds of her wanting to throw you out or her family wanting to throw you out are very small. Even if you were caught with another woman, if you are financially important enough she might let it go. Happens a lot.

1 hour ago, JerryM said:

Transfer requirements: For a 51% shareholder to lose or transfer their shares, they must willingly sign a share transfer instrument,

They sign that document at the time the company is registered/ How legal that is, that's another question

4 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

They sign that document at the time the company is registered/ How legal that is, that's another question

It seems that they do not have to give up their shares voluntarily but would require a court order.

Just now, JerryM said:

It seems that they do not have to give up their shares voluntarily but would require a court order.

I think you misread my comment. At the time the company is registered, they sign a blank share transfer document together with a signed copy of their ID card

6 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

I think you misread my comment. At the time the company is registered, they sign a blank share transfer document together with a signed copy of their ID card

Yes I realize. But it still has to be enforced:

When a relationship with a nominee sours, the foreign investor has no legal remedy. Thai courts will not enforce nominee loan agreements or declarations of trust that contradict the Land Code. The foreigner cannot compel the return of their funds, cannot force a sale, and cannot register a claim against the title. In many cases the nominee shareholders simply sell the property to a third party or refuse to vacate, leaving the foreigner with a total loss. Even if the foreigner reports the arrangement to authorities in hopes of recovering some value, they admit to participating in an illegal structure and expose themselves to prosecution.

https://propertysights.com/blog/the-51-49-nominee-model-leaves-foreign-investors-as-the-real-victims

On 8/11/2026 at 9:31 AM, CallumWK said:

It's not illegal to sell Buddha images to tourists, it is illegal to export them, and the shop seller can not know what you gonna do with your purchase.

In regard to the nominee companies, I'm sure those foreigners knew it was not legal, for sure I knew it wasn't shortly after I arrived here more than 30 years ago.

But they proceeded anyway, because they had the same attitude that has been posted on this forum for years, that they will never come after them.

Well those people seem very quiet for the last month or so.

I don't think there'd be too many people with the money to spend on expensive property who were unaware that the setup is dodgy.

A lot of this Why Now? when these nominee arrangements have gone on long term is that NOW they have the computer horsepower to link together all this disperse information that was, in large part, a manual procedure until recently.

3 minutes ago, JerryM said:

A lot of this Why Now? when these nominee arrangements have gone on long term is that NOW they have the computer horsepower to link together all this disperse information that was, in large part, a manual procedure until recently.

1. It's common knowledge that Anutin is anti foreigner, but this has actually been suggested every year for the last decade, only to die down quickly

2. They need money because tourism is down and other factors.

3. Yes, AI makes it an easy target.

here is the bottom line boys and girls

over my 40 years in thailand, there are two certainties,

every year, the wink, nod and envelope works less and less; and

there is no rule of law in the american sense.

govern your investments and visas accordingly

5 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Zero control. Under Thai law he can't own it. He would have to sign it over to her kids, and then hope they don't want to move into it or sell it, and allow him to remain living in it. 😂

Dude, all that resentment is eating you alive.

26 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Dude, all that resentment is eating you alive.

No resentment. Happy renter here.

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

govern your investments and visas accordingly

A prudent person would have no investment in Thailand to govern. 😂

2 hours ago, JerryM said:

A lot of this Why Now? when these nominee arrangements have gone on long term is that NOW they have the computer horsepower to link together all this disperse information that was, in large part, a manual procedure until recently.

Yes, and as another member pointed out, Thailand's economy is not doing so well. nor is its tourism industry, which accounts for around 20% GDP. Record household debt doesn't help either.

Stealing property off foreigners to auction off and raise some revenue should help the Thai economy. 🙂

I remember this case.

https://www.thephuketnews.com/bargains-offered-at-amlo-chinese-tour-company-seized-assets-sell-off-58961.php