Report Thai PM Enforces Stringent Laws on Illegal Foreign Businesses

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Thai Rath

 

Thai PM Paetongtarn seeks strict action against foreign firms breaking local laws, aiming to curtail illegal imports and promote national justice.

 

On 10th June 2025, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra chaired a meeting at Government House to address illegal foreign business operations in Thailand. The session included officials from various ministries, such as Finance, Commerce, and Industry, emphasising the need for decisive legal enforcement against violations.

 

Paetongtarn stressed the importance of using stringent laws to combat illegal activities like unlawful imports, misrepresentation of foreign goods as Thai products, and non-compliant foreign factories. The meeting focused on four key concerns:

 

Nominee Companies: Actions have been taken against 861 offenders across high-risk sectors like tourism, real estate, and e-commerce, resulting in damages worth 15.3 billion baht from September 2022 to May 2023.

 

Substandard Imports: Measures include heightened customs checks and a push for stringent compliance with VAT and product standards, tackling 57,739 violations and accumulating damages of over 2.3 billion baht.

 

Falsely Labelled Thai Goods: Ongoing monitoring of 49 high-risk export items to the US, which will expand to 65 items soon, aims to prevent misrepresentation and maintain trade integrity.

 

Non-Compliant Foreign Factories: The Industry Ministry reported 79 instances of legal non-compliance, focusing on improper waste management and unscrupulous import/export practices.

 

The PM directed various government bodies to advance efforts, including legislative amendments to effectively manage and prosecute such infractions. This initiative combines rigorous law enforcement with ensuring fairness, enhancing trust in Thailand's regulatory framework.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai Rath 2025-06-11

 

 

[ikke1959]

The question is what is illegal and which Thai officials are involved??? Updating laws would be better, such as allow foreigners to guide instead of keep it a Thai protected job. Make starting a business easier instead of that every business needs a 51% in THai hands.. and hiring 1 foreigner om 3 Thai employees.. and many more

[ozz1]

Just give us your money and that's what we want.  invest in Thailand and watch your money disappear

[JimHuaHin]

Thai Prime Minister enforces laws?  How will dad be impacted?

[crazykopite]

Papa sticking his three baht’s worth in how I wish the government was run by the military again life was good then we all knew where we stood now we have a puppet PM taking her orders from the convicted criminal who conned his way out of prison pretending to be on his deathbed 

[Seeall]

5 hours ago, ozz1 said:

Just give us your money and that's what we want.  invest in Thailand and watch your money disappear

That's what the girls at our local bars are like now. Actually online dating as well. Try it yourself. when they ask about helping out, suggest you just send the money to the bank account and they go along with that nicely.

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai PM Paetongtarn seeks strict action against foreign firms breaking local laws, aiming to curtail illegal imports and promote national justice.

With a failing Thai economy, you'd think they might encourage some businesses that would want to open up here.

[Guderian]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

resulting in damages worth 15.3 billion baht from September 2022 to May 2023.

 

That works out at an average of 17.77 million Baht per offence. They must be some seriously large companies to be able to pay out fines of that size, not Ivan Ruskieovich acting alone as an illegal tour guide in Samui, or Joe Sixpack owning a 5 million Baht house via a Thai company. 

[sikishrory]

I would estimate at least what? 30%? Of foreigners with hospitality and other business here are using fake nominees and dodgy company structures to fully control their business. If Thailand shuttered them all what effect would it have on tourism and the quality of hospitality etc I wonder? Im thinking it would be half as dismal as business during covid.

Good luck finding your acai bowl, full english and gourmet burgers.

30% is being quite conservative as well.

[wombat]

You can tell its slow season when this one sticks its head up...again.

[Gknrd]

Joke of the day!

[chilli42]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai Rath

 

Thai PM Paetongtarn seeks strict action against foreign firms breaking local laws, aiming to curtail illegal imports and promote national justice.

 

On 10th June 2025, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra chaired a meeting at Government House to address illegal foreign business operations in Thailand. The session included officials from various ministries, such as Finance, Commerce, and Industry, emphasising the need for decisive legal enforcement against violations.

 

Paetongtarn stressed the importance of using stringent laws to combat illegal activities like unlawful imports, misrepresentation of foreign goods as Thai products, and non-compliant foreign factories. The meeting focused on four key concerns:

 

Nominee Companies: Actions have been taken against 861 offenders across high-risk sectors like tourism, real estate, and e-commerce, resulting in damages worth 15.3 billion baht from September 2022 to May 2023.

 

Substandard Imports: Measures include heightened customs checks and a push for stringent compliance with VAT and product standards, tackling 57,739 violations and accumulating damages of over 2.3 billion baht.

 

Falsely Labelled Thai Goods: Ongoing monitoring of 49 high-risk export items to the US, which will expand to 65 items soon, aims to prevent misrepresentation and maintain trade integrity.

 

Non-Compliant Foreign Factories: The Industry Ministry reported 79 instances of legal non-compliance, focusing on improper waste management and unscrupulous import/export practices.

 

The PM directed various government bodies to advance efforts, including legislative amendments to effectively manage and prosecute such infractions. This initiative combines rigorous law enforcement with ensuring fairness, enhancing trust in Thailand's regulatory framework.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai Rath 2025-06-11

 

 

Easy peasy. Just keep the Chinese out. Most of this stops right away.

[wensiensheng]

Blah blah blah. Name a subject, any subject, and there will be a Thai politician instructing aggressive action be taken.

[Reddavy]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai Rath

 

Thai PM Paetongtarn seeks strict action against foreign firms breaking local laws, aiming to curtail illegal imports and promote national justice.

 

On 10th June 2025, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra chaired a meeting at Government House to address illegal foreign business operations in Thailand. The session included officials from various ministries, such as Finance, Commerce, and Industry, emphasising the need for decisive legal enforcement against violations.

 

Paetongtarn stressed the importance of using stringent laws to combat illegal activities like unlawful imports, misrepresentation of foreign goods as Thai products, and non-compliant foreign factories. The meeting focused on four key concerns:

 

Nominee Companies: Actions have been taken against 861 offenders across high-risk sectors like tourism, real estate, and e-commerce, resulting in damages worth 15.3 billion baht from September 2022 to May 2023.

 

Substandard Imports: Measures include heightened customs checks and a push for stringent compliance with VAT and product standards, tackling 57,739 violations and accumulating damages of over 2.3 billion baht.

 

Falsely Labelled Thai Goods: Ongoing monitoring of 49 high-risk export items to the US, which will expand to 65 items soon, aims to prevent misrepresentation and maintain trade integrity.

 

Non-Compliant Foreign Factories: The Industry Ministry reported 79 instances of legal non-compliance, focusing on improper waste management and unscrupulous import/export practices.

 

The PM directed various government bodies to advance efforts, including legislative amendments to effectively manage and prosecute such infractions. This initiative combines rigorous law enforcement with ensuring fairness, enhancing trust in Thailand's regulatory framework.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai Rath 2025-06-11

 

 

Should say daddy forces stringent laws. She couldn’t force her way to the front of a que. 

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Paetongtarn stressed the importance of using stringent laws to combat illegal activities like unlawful imports, misrepresentation of foreign goods as Thai products,

That's laughable, Thai companies receiving goods from China, adding a "made in Thailand label" and allowing the shipment to go to foreign countries thus bypassing foreign Chinese tariffs ?

[Luuk Chaai]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai Rath

 

Thai PM Paetongtarn seeks strict action against foreign firms breaking local laws, aiming to curtail illegal imports and promote national justice.

 

 

Substandard Imports: Measures include heightened customs checks and a push for stringent compliance with VAT and product standards, tackling 57,739 violations and accumulating damages of over 2.3 billion baht.

 

 

 

China will never let her do it

[connda]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Substandard Imports: Measures include heightened customs checks and a push for stringent compliance with VAT and product standards, tackling 57,739 violations and accumulating damages of over 2.3 billion baht.

 

Falsely Labelled Thai Goods: Ongoing monitoring of 49 high-risk export items to the US, which will expand to 65 items soon, aims to prevent misrepresentation and maintain trade integrity.

 

Non-Compliant Foreign Factories: The Industry Ministry reported 79 instances of legal non-compliance, focusing on improper waste management and unscrupulous import/export practices.

Don't worry.  Thai business using these tactics are Ok.  Just be on the look-out for bad foreigners who do this stuff.

[connda]

4 hours ago, sikishrory said:

I would estimate at least what? 30%? Of foreigners with hospitality and other business here are using fake nominees and dodgy company structures to fully control their business. If Thailand shuttered them all what effect would it have on tourism and the quality of hospitality etc I wonder? Im thinking it would be half as dismal as business during covid.

Good luck finding your acai bowl, full english and gourmet burgers.

30% is being quite conservative as well.

Just shutter them all and we can see another round of business closures and streets full of boarded up business.
In the meanwhile - get out on the streets in North Hollywood and stop ICE agents from deporting illegal Thai migrants just trying to run an honest business in America without a green card!  Gavin Newsom and Mayor Bass said it's their god-given right to reside and work in the US without visas or work permits.  In the meanwhile - kick all of those bad foreigners without proper visas and work permits out of Thailand.  

[Ironmike]

6 hours ago, crazykopite said:

Papa sticking his three baht’s worth in how I wish the government was run by the military again life was good then we all knew where we stood now we have a puppet PM taking her orders from the convicted criminal who conned his way out of prison pretending to be on his deathbed 

I couldn't of said it better mate

[AustinRacing]

So enforcing laws on illegal foreign businesses. How about just delete the word foreign. Xenophobia is endemic among the elites. Maybe because foreigners look down on Thais irrespective of their status. 

[lordgrinz]

42 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

So enforcing laws on illegal foreign businesses. How about just delete the word foreign. Xenophobia is endemic among the elites. Maybe because foreigners look down on Thais irrespective of their status. 

 

Because illegal Thai businesses are standard operating practice, farang bad, Thai good.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

"National Justice" she says, that's a laugh. Her father seems to have got away with mass murder among other things he was convicted for but spent less than an hour in prison.

The elderly couple caught gathering mushrooms were locked up for two years or more and Red Bull heir who killed a policeman is still, as the local press say "in self imposed exile".

 

[kiwikeith]

18 hours ago, hotchilli said:

With a failing Thai economy, you'd think they might encourage some businesses that would want to open up here.

Fisher and paykel huge appliance manufacturers from NZ, moved out of Thailand a few years ago 

To China. 

I wonder if she will crack down on the luxury car smugglers??? 

 

[Cabradelmar]

PM can have all the meetings she likes... but it's the corrupt local officials responsible for compliance and enforcement that make this the problem it is today.