Authorities in Koh Samui have revoked the licences of four tour companies after investigators found alleged nominee arrangements involving Thai nationals and foreign operators. Officials said the firms breached legal requirements governing ownership and management structures for tourism businesses in Thailand.
Get today's headlines by email 
Pathakorn Kaewmorakot, registrar for tourism businesses and tour guides for Southern Region 1, said he signed the revocation orders following inspections carried out with Koh Samui Tourist Police and the Surat Thani Tourism and Sports Office. Officers inspected 12 tour operators in Koh Samui district, Surat Thani province, after suspecting some businesses were using Thai nationals as nominees to conceal foreign control.
Investigators found four operators allegedly conducting tourism businesses under foreign management. Officials said the companies failed to comply with laws requiring the majority of directors in tour businesses to be Thai nationals.
One of the companies reportedly operated a jet ski tourism business and had an Israeli national as its sole company director. Authorities said the remaining three companies were not operating from their registered premises during inspections, raising suspicions that the licence applications may have used other business locations.
Officials also found that some companies altered their board structures after obtaining licences, resulting in a loss of qualifications under the Tourism Business and Guide Act 2008, Section 17 (1). The law requires more than half of company directors to hold Thai nationality.
Following the licence revocations, authorities will place seven company directors on a blacklist for five years. The group includes three Thai nationals and four foreign nationals from Israel, France, Belgium and Italy. Those listed will be barred from applying for tourism business licences during the restriction period.
Authorities will also forward details of the four companies to the Surat Thani Provincial Commerce Office for further legal action linked to the alleged use of Thai nominees in company registration structures.
Pathakorn said Surat Thani province currently has 1,082 licensed tourism companies. Of those, 476 are based in Koh Samui, 84 in Koh Phangan and 144 on Koh Tao, while the remainder operate in Muang, Takua Pa and Phanom districts.
The province also has 1,009 licensed tour guides. Officials said inspection operations have been conducted regularly in cooperation with related agencies, with licence revocations continuing where breaches are found.
Daily News reported that Pathakorn added that future applications from companies that later lose their licences will also be referred to provincial commerce officials for checks under other relevant laws.
Pictures courtesy of Daily News
Join the discussion? 
Already a member? 
Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 21 May 2026