Crime Commerce Ministry Targets Over 10 Foreign-Linked Businesses in Huai Khwang Crackdown

[Georgealbert]

 

Pictures courtesy of Matichon.

 

The Ministry of Commerce has announced that legal action is being prepared against more than ten businesses in the Huai Khwang district of Bangkok, following a coordinated inspection campaign aimed at identifying illegal foreign business operations.

 

Mr. Naphinthorn Srisanpang, Deputy Commerce Minister, revealed that the crackdown followed orders from the Committee for the Management of Foreign Goods and Business Violations, chaired by Commerce Minister Mr. Pichai Nariptaphan. A special task force, led by Deputy Permanent Secretary of Commerce Lt. Col. Jakkra Yodmanee, conducted inspections on 25 April.

 

The inspections covered ten restaurants, one supermarket, and one real estate agency located along Pracharat Bamphen and Ratchadaphisek roads. The multi-agency operation included officials from the Department of Business Development, Department of Employment, Immigration Bureau, Economic Crime Suppression Division, and the Huai Khwang District Office.

 

Preliminary findings revealed one restaurant suspected of operating without the required permits under the Foreign Business Act. This case will be formally handed over to the Economic Crime Suppression Division for further legal action.

Moreover, several other businesses displayed behaviour consistent with the use of Thai nominees to illegally facilitate foreign ownership, a practice prohibited under Thai law. Authorities plan to summon the owners for further investigation and require them to clarify the nature of their operations. It was also noted that many businesses closed temporarily upon noticing the inspections, raising suspicions about possible legal violations. Special task forces will return to these businesses for further scrutiny when they reopen.

 

Mr. Naphinthorn stressed that this proactive enforcement is designed to protect legitimate Thai businesses and the broader economy. He warned Thai citizens who act as nominees for foreigners, holding shares or otherwise supporting unlawful business practices, that they face serious penalties, including imprisonment of up to three years, fines ranging from 100,000 to 1,000,000 baht, or both. Furthermore, courts can order the cessation of nominee arrangements, with non-compliance leading to additional daily fines of 10,000 to 50,000 baht.

 

The Deputy Minister affirmed that the task force will continue its operations rigorously and without interruption to ensure compliance with the law and safeguard national economic interests.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-04-27.

 

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

This Thai nominee thing is a very grey area... 

[ujayujay]

57 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

This Thai nominee thing is a very grey area... 

Not really for those who can read!

List 1: Strictly prohibited jobs

Occupations that are strictly forbidden for foreigners include:

1. Wood carving
2. Driving motor vehicles, driving a non-mechanically propelled carrier or driving a domestic mechanically propelled carrier, except for piloting international aircraft or forklift driving
3. Auction
4. Cutting or polishing diamonds or precious stones
5. Haircutting, hairdressing or beauty treatment
6. Cloth weaving by hand
7. Mat weaving or utensil making from reeds, rattan, hemp, straw, bamboo, bamboo pellicle, grass, chicken feather, coconut leaf stick, fibre, wire or other materials
8. Mulberry paper making by hand
9. Lacquerware making
10. Making Thai musical instruments
11. Nielloware making
12. Gold ornaments, silverware or pink gold making
13. Bronze ware making
14. Thai dolls making
15. Alms bowl making
16. Silk products making by hand
17. Buddha images making
18. Paper or cloth umbrella making
19. Brokerage or agency work, except brokerage or agency working in international trade or investment
20. Thai massage
21. Cigarette rolling by hand
22. Tour guide or sightseeing tour operation
23. Peddling
24. Manual typesetting of Thai characters
25. Silk reeling and twisting by hand
26. Clerical or secretarial work
27. Legal services or services in legal proceedings, except for the following occupations:
    1. Performing duties of arbitration
    2. Providing assistance or representation in the arbitral proceedings if the law applicable to the dispute is considered by the arbitrators, not Thai law.

       List 2: Prohibited jobs with exceptions

       Prohibited occupations for foreigners with the condition that foreigners are allowed to work under international agreements or obligations to which Thailand is bound under the provisions of laws are:

    3. Controlling, auditing, performing or providing accounting services, except:
       1. Occasional internal audit work.
       2. Work under international agreements or obligations to which Thailand is bound, which the Professional Association provides a certificate.
    4. Civil engineering concerning counselling, project planning, design and calculation, construction supervision or manufacturing, inspection, and administration work to organise the system, research and test, except those registered under the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) and other international agreements.
    5. Professional architectural work concerning project study, design, construction management and supervision, inspection or consulting, except for professional architects under the ASEAN MRA for architectural services and other international agreements.

    6. List 3: Exceptions for skilled or semi-skilled workers

       Prohibited occupations for foreigners, with the exception that foreign workers are allowed to do skilled or semi-skilled work when working for an employer, include:

    7. Agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry or fishery
    8. Bricklaying, carpentry or construction works
    9. Mattress or quilt blanket-making
    10. Knifemaking
    11. Shoemaking
    12. Hat making
    13. Dressmaking
    14. Pottery or ceramic ware making

    15. List 4: Exceptions under treaties

        Prohibited occupations which foreign workers are permitted to perform under the condition of having employers and permitted to enter Thailand by Immigration Law under MoUs or agreements between the Thai government and the foreign government are:

    16. Labour (manual work and simple work which requires physical strength)
    17. Shop front sellers (selling goods at a wholesale or retail establishment as well as selling goods at stalls or shops located in markets or roadsides)    

[Watawattana]

Baby steps.