An Israeli businessman has been arrested in Pai district, Mae Hong Son province, over allegations that he illegally operated, what was described by authorities as a studio business through nominee arrangements and provided false information in official registration documents.

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The suspect, identified only as Mr. Goren, 39, was taken into custody at a residence in Thung Yao subdistrict, Pai district, at around 15:00 on 4 June 2026. The arrest was carried out by officers from Provincial Police Region 5, Mae Hong Son Tourist Police and Pai district administrative officials acting under a warrant issued by the Pai branch of the Mae Hong Son Provincial Court.

Authorities allege that Goren conspired to provide false information to public officials for inclusion in official documents intended for use as evidence of ownership. Investigators said the alleged actions could have caused harm to other individuals or the public.

He is also accused of operating a studio business in a sector restricted to Thai nationals under Thailand’s foreign business regulations. In addition, authorities allege that Thai nationals or Thai entities were used to assist in conducting a foreign-owned business without the required authorisation.

According to investigators, officers received information that Goren was staying at a house in Pai district. Police travelled to the location to execute the arrest warrant and confirmed his identity before taking him into custody.

Police said Goren acknowledged that he was the individual named in the warrant and stated that he had not previously been arrested under the warrant. Officers then informed him of the allegations and his legal rights.

The arrest forms part of ongoing enforcement of Thailand’s foreign business regulations and procedures relating to company registration and ownership structures. Authorities have not released further details regarding the investigation or any additional suspects.

Khaosod reported that Goren was subsequently transferred to investigators for further legal proceedings. The case will now proceed through the legal process as authorities continue their investigation into the allegations.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Khaosod 5 June 2026

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A studio? Like those one room apartments?

An artist’s studio?

A recording studio?

Oh, but the hippies, like mellow man, it's Pai! whoa, like how could anyone get arrested here for working without a permit, man? It's not fair!

A "studio business"... whatever services he provided they were restricted to Thais only.

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Seize and sell all his assets. Blacklist him so he cannot return after serving a 20-year sentence for attempting to hurt Thai businesspeople. Tired of all these criminals making Thai people dislike foreigners. We are not all like these people. We need to stand together with Thai people to severely penalize these people so they stop coming here.

1 hour ago, kuzmabruk said:

Seize and sell all his assets. Blacklist him so he cannot return after serving a 20-year sentence for attempting to hurt Thai businesspeople. Tired of all these criminals making Thai people dislike foreigners. We are not all like these people. We need to stand together with Thai people to severely penalize these people so they stop coming here.

Spot on.

Your post may be ironic, but "Many a true word spoken in jest".

In all seriousness, these slimebags are spoiling the scene for all of us.

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

An Israeli businessman has been arrested in Pai district, Mae Hong Son province, over allegations that he illegally operated, what was described by authorities as a studio business through nominee arrangements and provided false information in official registration documents.

Get today's headlines by email

The suspect, identified only as Mr. Goren, 39, was taken into custody at a residence in Thung Yao subdistrict, Pai district, at around 15:00 on 4 June 2026. The arrest was carried out by officers from Provincial Police Region 5, Mae Hong Son Tourist Police and Pai district administrative officials acting under a warrant issued by the Pai branch of the Mae Hong Son Provincial Court.

Authorities allege that Goren conspired to provide false information to public officials for inclusion in official documents intended for use as evidence of ownership. Investigators said the alleged actions could have caused harm to other individuals or the public.

He is also accused of operating a studio business in a sector restricted to Thai nationals under Thailand’s foreign business regulations. In addition, authorities allege that Thai nationals or Thai entities were used to assist in conducting a foreign-owned business without the required authorisation.

According to investigators, officers received information that Goren was staying at a house in Pai district. Police travelled to the location to execute the arrest warrant and confirmed his identity before taking him into custody.

Police said Goren acknowledged that he was the individual named in the warrant and stated that he had not previously been arrested under the warrant. Officers then informed him of the allegations and his legal rights.

The arrest forms part of ongoing enforcement of Thailand’s foreign business regulations and procedures relating to company registration and ownership structures. Authorities have not released further details regarding the investigation or any additional suspects.

Khaosod reported that Goren was subsequently transferred to investigators for further legal proceedings. The case will now proceed through the legal process as authorities continue their investigation into the allegations.

Join the discussion?

Already a member?

Adapted by ASEAN Now Khaosod 5 June 2026

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We have seen many stories about Thai nominees fronting illegal foreign businesss. They always seems to focus of the foreigners. Thailand has taken pride in claiming they have never been colonized. Well, it has been happening for years and the Thai people involved don't seem to have a problem with it. Perhaps that will change now? This will be difficult. The systemic corruption runs deep.

He should have been an American.

Under the Treaty of Amity, an American is allowed to own 100% of a business in Thailand. No need for a Thai partner nor any "nominee". There is a procedure for registering the company under the Treaty, but once done, it's 100% free and clear.

2 hours ago, kuzmabruk said:

Seize and sell all his assets. Blacklist him so he cannot return after serving a 20-year sentence for attempting to hurt Thai businesspeople. Tired of all these criminals making Thai people dislike foreigners. We are not all like these people. We need to stand together with Thai people to severely penalize these people so they stop coming here.

Get a grip. Seriously, do you have any common sense? What part of "allegation" do you not comprehend? The man has not been charged, nor has he been subject to a judicial process, nor has a verdict been rendered. And yet here you are, demanding his assets be seized and sold, calling him a criminal. It's hysterical trash talk like your rant that enables the Thais to make false accusations and to abuse the judicial process. For you, he is guilty, even if innocent of wrongdoing.

There is no basis upon which to seize all his assets or to sell them. Unless the assets are shown to have been the result of illegal enterprise or subject to a compensatory settlement for a civil or criminal penalty, they cannot be seized. It is not allowed in Thailand, just as it is not allowed in Australia or Japan or the UK.

In your haste to condemn, you make no mention of the Thais who are most likely implicated. Legal and accounting firms would have been needed to set up the business. Thais would have been needed to act as nominees and to do the filings. All of these people would have profited up front from the "studio" setup, it it was not legal. Foreigners cannot just show up, set up shop and operate for years without local Thai assistance and allowance.

If the accused is guilty, then by all means he must unwind the business and close up and should be subject to penalty. However he did not act alone. As long as the Thai nationals are encouraging, enabling and facilitating the wrongdoing, it will continue. The responsible Thai people need to be identified and stopped from participating.

1 hour ago, MisterTee said:

Spot on.

Your post may be ironic, but "Many a true word spoken in jest".

In all seriousness, these slimebags are spoiling the scene for all of us.

Actually, they keep it interesting for the rest of us. What would we read about if this were Singapore?

26 minutes ago, Wingate said:

He should have been an American.

Under the Treaty of Amity, an American is allowed to own 100% of a business in Thailand. No need for a Thai partner nor any "nominee". There is a procedure for registering the company under the Treaty, but once done, it's 100% free and clear.

Can you please explain this further?

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Actually, they keep it interesting for the rest of us. What would we read about if this were Singapore?

You're probably right.

The sardonic old Chinese proverb "May you live in interesting times" applies to Thailand in spades.

Parts of it have always seemed like the Wild West to me.

Many of us wouldn't want it any other way.

6 hours ago, Front Row said:

An artist’s studio?

A recording studio?

A tattoo studio?

A dance studio?

A rental studio?

9 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

He should have been an American.

Under the Treaty of Amity, an American is allowed to own 100% of a business in Thailand. No need for a Thai partner nor any "nominee". There is a procedure for registering the company under the Treaty, but once done, it's 100% free and clear.

Can you please explain this further?

Try Googling US-Thailand Treaty of Amity.

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Try Googling US-Thailand Treaty of Amity.

Holy <deleted>e! Do the Thai still buy this? Could it not put Thailand out of business?

22 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Oh, but the hippies, like mellow man, it's Pai! whoa, like how could anyone get arrested here for working without a permit, man? It's not fair!

Beats me how the police found him because Pai’s far out man.

59 minutes ago, Keeenok Powell said:

Beats me how the police found him because Pai’s far out man.

Probably AirBnB or B-ooking.com

23 hours ago, kuzmabruk said:

Seize and sell all his assets. Blacklist him so he cannot return after serving a 20-year sentence for attempting to hurt Thai businesspeople. Tired of all these criminals making Thai people dislike foreigners. We are not all like these people. We need to stand together with Thai people to severely penalize these people so they stop coming here.

Yesss. We need to show them. Send them back to rebuild Gaza.

18 hours ago, Travel Dude said:

A tattoo studio?

A dance studio?

A rental studio?

We are getting close...A money printing studio?

as they act like they own the country, movie studio

Edited June 6Jun 6 by TimBKK

53 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

as they act like they own the country, movie studio

They do, do they?

He should have been an American.

Under the Treaty of Amity, an American is allowed to own 100% of a business in Thailand. No need for a Thai partner nor any "nominee". There is a procedure for registering the company under the Treaty, but once done, it's 100% free and clear.

He'd still be hooped:

From the OP: He is also accused of operating a studio business in a sector restricted to Thai nationals under Thailand’s foreign business regulations.

Edit: On an aside, it would be interesting to see someone do a deep dive into how the business was structured, who was involved (lawyers? Gov't officials? Thai nominees? etc), how much money changed hands, how the business really affected "Thai people", etc. That would make a great YouTube.

Edited June 6Jun 6 by impulse

4 hours ago, GoodieAfterDark said:

We are getting close...A money printing studio?

That's quite possible.

In Medieval Europe many of them were artful coin clippers.

Are my 10 baht chips getting smaller, or is it just my imagination?

4 hours ago, GoodieAfterDark said:

We are getting close...A money printing studio?

Because Jews own all the banks and control the world, right?

56 minutes ago, VillageIdiot said:

That's quite possible.

In Medieval Europe many of them were artful coin clippers.

Are my 10 baht chips getting smaller, or is it just my imagination?

The answer is in your name.

Thai 10 baht coins are made of cheap metals.

There is no incentive even to those inscrutable crafty Jews to clip them.

Pro tip -- don't take a wooden nickel!

Edited June 6Jun 6 by Jingthing

So what kind of "studio" was it exactly?

Does anyone know?