DSI Says Firms Linked to Kok An’s Children Were Paper Companies

Picture courtesy of Naewna

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has found that five companies registered in Thailand under the names of the children of Cambodian senator Kok An were largely paper companies with no real business operations. Internal reports released on 9 December confirmed that most of the businesses did not exist at their stated locations, had no staff and showed signs of being used as fronts possibly linked to money-laundering. One firm in Hat Yai once appeared active but has since ceased operations, while another online recruitment company registered in Sathorn was found to be using only a rented floor number to receive parcels and mail.

The investigation stems from DSI case file 134/2568, which focuses on the network of Chen Zhi (Vincent), founder of Prince Holding Group, and several foreign nationals, 43 of whom are listed by US authorities as being associated with transnational crime and online fraud. Those named include Yim Leak, Benjamin Maurerberger and Kok An, prompting DSI to examine possible links to individuals and companies operating in Thailand. Multiple agencies were contacted for information, including the Department of Business Development and the Anti-Money Laundering Office, to assess financial activities, bank accounts and registration histories.

Authorities found that Kok An’s three children, Juree Klongkitkol, Phucheolin Klongkitkol (Yulai) and Kittisak Klongkitkol, were listed as directors in five Thailand-based service businesses, all of which showed indications of being inactive. Registered addresses were often virtual spaces with no staff or real operations, and in some cases companies used subdivided office-floor numbers created by tenants who rented entire floors and resold unit numbers for mail-receiving services. DSI noted this model is often used by startups lacking funds, but in these cases it raised concerns about whether the companies were fronts for illicit financial activity.

One example described a tenant renting an entire office floor, dividing it into 100 fictional units and letting others use these numbers as mailing addresses without establishing actual offices. DSI investigators said this matched the pattern of Kok An’s children’s companies, which had no employees and no activity despite occupying high-profile downtown addresses. Officials also said that although most of the firms had stopped operating, none had formally dissolved, prompting further checks into accounting records and bank transactions to trace suspicious financial flows.

DSI also noted that Kok An himself holds Cambodian nationality and does not appear as a director of any of the companies, while his children had held Thai citizenship obtained through a man who was falsely listed as their father in earlier administrative records. Investigators said the children’s Thai nationality made it easier for them to register businesses, but they did not rule out the possibility that Kok An used nominees to hide ownership. The agency will expand the probe to determine whether any actions fall under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 or involve nominee offences under the Special Case Investigation Act B.E. 2547.

Naewna reported that the DSI said it will continue tracing financial documents and is awaiting reports from relevant agencies to assess money-laundering risks. Investigators also referred to a previous witness interview involving Thai shareholders of Prince International, located on the 7th floor of Sino-Thai Tower, who used branding similar to Prince Holding Group. Preliminary evidence showed no shared transactions, only unsuccessful attempts to collaborate. The probe is expected to intensify as officials seek clarity on possible nominee arrangements and foreign-controlled business operations in Thailand.

Key Takeaways

• DSI found five companies linked to Kok An’s children were mostly inactive paper firms with no real operations.

• Investigators are reviewing financial records to determine whether the companies served as fronts for money-laundering.

• Authorities are examining potential nominee activity and possible violations of Thailand’s Foreign Business Act.

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Naewna 2025-12-10