Phuket police arrest 2 Canadians over alleged school nominees

Tothe above:

Formal Criminal Complaint (Rong Thuk): Explicitly requests that the police launch a formal legal investigation against an offender. Only direct victims (or authorized legal representatives) have the legal right to file.

6 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That information would be completely irrelevant, surely?

That's the only information that's relevant, Lou. Legal, shmeagle... If the school was doing a good job and charged reasonable prices, too bad they got dobbed.

8 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

That's the only information that's relevant, Lou. Legal, shmeagle... If the school was doing a good job and charged reasonable prices, too bad they got dobbed.

So the school's administrators are also teaching the students, Thai or farang, as from another topic this forum but not by myself:

Yes but if workarounds exist for years, it also means that rules are not practically enforceable then irrelevant.

Edited yesterday at 12:32 AM1 day by JerryM

A$$hats.

Arresting 2 decent Canadians contributing the education of Thais. Wow.

But for the Chinese, Russian and Indian gangsters operating shady businesses in TH it's business as usual.

Okay. Got it.

20 minutes ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Okay. Got it.

The police arrested them. Tell them. They've been arresting Chinese and Russian nominees frauds as well. The Indian situation is different as many of them are multi-generational Thai citizens.

16 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It reads as though you condone these illegal businesses, why would you do that and disparage those who report them as "grasses"?

the school was legit as otherwise no way would they have been able to obtain the permits to open a school and let me tell you, there lots of them required
Obviously the Business was set up with a Lawyers help and HE/SHE should also be arrested as with as without he/she they never would have gotten the license

MY question is what happens to the school/ the kids attending classes?
they run 2 campuses ( 1 in Chalong, 1 in Rawaii) and has been around for awhile
rather than name the school a simple search will show you the name

8 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

Obviously the Business was set up with a Lawyers help and HE/SHE should also be arrested as with as without he/she they never would have gotten the license

No problem. It's all in there:

And has been the response to many such queries as per the Thaiger headline:

Thais built it, sold it, and registered it. So why is the foreigner the only one in the dock?

Nobody forced the (prospective) school owners to walk into the lawyer's office.

Edited yesterday at 01:46 AM1 day by JerryM

15 hours ago, JerryM said:

only takes a complaint from someone maybe with a grudge to start things rolling.

And I still stand by that. The police and immigration and employment investigators are publicly asking for Thais to report on foreigner-run nominee businesses. Even in this article they did so. All the legal things happen after that. In other words, my point is the authorities are relying heavily on the Thai business community to report on these guys. Then the authorities will have a look and then find a way to file a formal complaint. Doesn't need to be Sompong across the road - it could be a government department making the formal complaint. I don't really think the authorities have the manpower to sift through tens of thousands of business records to week out nominees - they need tip offs to fast track the illegal operators - and that seems to be happening.

17 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

And I still stand by that. The police and immigration and employment investigators are publicly asking for Thais to report on foreigner-run nominee businesses

There is a big difference between a 'tip' and a formal complaint.

1 minute ago, JerryM said:

There is a big difference between a 'tip' and a formal complaint.

Agreed. I'm just saying they get a tip, then the authorities find a way to make a formal complaint. The tip starts the ball rolling. A bit like 'crime stoppers' in America.

1 minute ago, ronnie50 said:

Agreed. I'm just saying they get a tip, then the authorities find a way to make a formal complaint. The tip starts the ball rolling. A bit like 'crime stoppers' in America.

There have been plenty enough stories on here that some filed a complaint. And that's what I was referencing with the word 'grudge' to which some took exception. But I noted above re: FORMAL complaint: Only direct victims (or authorized legal representatives) have the legal right to file.

Anyone can call in a tip.

Edited yesterday at 02:23 AM1 day by JerryM

Why now? the school in Rawai has been around a long time, although under another name and owners,

18 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Maybe they weren't working. A work permit is not required to own a share in a business.

She wasn't, he was.

2 hours ago, zzzzz said:

the school was legit as otherwise no way would they have been able to obtain the permits to open a school and let me tell you, there lots of them required
Obviously the Business was set up with a Lawyers help and HE/SHE should also be arrested as with as without he/she they never would have gotten the license

MY question is what happens to the school/ the kids attending classes?
they run 2 campuses ( 1 in Chalong, 1 in Rawaii) and has been around for awhile
rather than name the school a simple search will show you the name

Plus a kindergarten in chalong.

11 minutes ago, stevenl said:

MY question is what happens to the school/ the kids attending classes?
they run 2 campuses ( 1 in Chalong, 1 in Rawaii) and has been around for awhile
rather than name the school a simple search will show you the name

Yes. What happens to the kids and parents ? Did they completely close down the schools or is it under investigation for now ? Most international schools are closed for another week or so for summer holidays. Not much time to sort out your kids education. What a mess.

4 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

A$$hats.

Arresting 2 decent Canadians contributing the education of Thais. Wow.

But for the Chinese, Russian and Indian gangsters operating shady businesses in TH it's business as usual.

Okay. Got it.

Not what I said at all. I equally supported the "illegal" school run by Israelis.

3 hours ago, zzzzz said:

the school was legit as otherwise no way would they have been able to obtain the permits to open a school and let me tell you, there lots of them required
Obviously the Business was set up with a Lawyers help and HE/SHE should also be arrested as with as without he/she they never would have gotten the license

MY question is what happens to the school/ the kids attending classes?
they run 2 campuses ( 1 in Chalong, 1 in Rawaii) and has been around for awhile
rather than name the school a simple search will show you the name

I wonder how many kids studying on both campuses, Perhaps a way can be found to regularise the school.

3 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

And I still stand by that. The police and immigration and employment investigators are publicly asking for Thais to report on foreigner-run nominee businesses. Even in this article they did so. All the legal things happen after that. In other words, my point is the authorities are relying heavily on the Thai business community to report on these guys. Then the authorities will have a look and then find a way to file a formal complaint. Doesn't need to be Sompong across the road - it could be a government department making the formal complaint. I don't really think the authorities have the manpower to sift through tens of thousands of business records to week out nominees - they need tip offs to fast track the illegal operators - and that seems to be happening.

how would any thai or ANYONE know how a business is set up? Those records are not public
all the authorities can do is check EVERY Business run by a farang and go thru the paper work

verify the shareholders >
very time consuming

I recall back in the 80's many farang businesses had maids, tuk tuk drivers, bar girls as nominees for the company and it seems its still going on

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Why now? the school in Rawai has been around a long time, although under another name and owners,

At least, per the OP, there was a double-whammy. Not only were they in violation of the Foreign Business Act by using non-financially viable Thai nominees, but:

They also face allegations connected to jointly establishing and operating a private school without meeting the required Thai ownership or capital proportions. The alleged arrangement is said to have breached legal requirements governing the proportion of Thai shareholding or capital in such schools.

Edited yesterday at 06:04 AM1 day by JerryM

On 8/6/2026 at 9:48 PM, Georgealbert said:

Chalong Police said it would continue to investigate nominee arrangements and illegal businesses linked to foreign capital.

The answer is simple. Do not invest your foreign capital in Thailand. More risk than reward.

Stealing foreigner's properties and businesses - returning Thai land to the Thai people. 😂 😂

6 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

A$$hats.

Arresting 2 decent Canadians contributing the education of Thais. Wow.

But for the Chinese, Russian and Indian gangsters operating shady businesses in TH it's business as usual.

Okay. Got it.

Do you know these 2? How do you know they are decent or that their school was actually a quality school? This may have been more of a business venture to generate profit than a quest to educate.

Edited 23 hours ago23 hr by Patong2021

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

Maybe they weren't working. A work permit is not required to own a share in a business.

She wasn't, he was

Where was that reported, do you have a link?

15 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

That's the only information that's relevant, Lou. Legal, shmeagle... If the school was doing a good job and charged reasonable prices, too bad they got dobbed.

Was the illegal and unregistered school doing a good job and charging reasonable fees? Were are the illegal teachers qualified? It's great that they got "dobbef".

21 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Does Thai law give the accused the right to confront the accuser?

Yes, in this case the accuser, once it gets to court will be the state.

6 hours ago, zzzzz said:

reads as though you condone these illegal businesses, why would you do that and disparage those who report them as "grasses"?

the school was legit as otherwise no way would they have been able to obtain the permits to open a school ...

The school was not legitimate, it was an illegally constituted company. What

makes you think they had the necessary permits?

6 hours ago, zzzzz said:

Obviously the Business was set up with a Lawyers help and HE/SHE should also be arrested as with as without he/she they never would have gotten the license

It has been reported previously, many times, that the lawyers or businesses setting up the companies are also being investigated for prosecution, no reason to think that this case will be an exception.

6 hours ago, zzzzz said:

MY question is what happens to the school/ the kids attending classes

Easy, the pupils go to a different school..

3 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I wonder how many kids studying on both campuses, Perhaps a way can be found to regularise the school.

Yes, perhaps the existing Thai "shareholders" can buy the school and run it!

3 hours ago, zzzzz said:

how would any thai or ANYONE know how a business is set up? Those records are not public

That's false information, limited company records are publicly available.

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by Liverpool Lou

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

The answer is simple. Do not invest your foreign capital in Thailand. More risk than reward

It's simpler than that - do not illegally invest your foreign capital in an illegal Thai venture in order to circumvent Thai law.