Thai authorities have searched three locations in Pattaya and Bang Lamung as part of an investigation into suspected Thai nominee arrangements used to hold land and run businesses for foreigners.

The operation on 21 August was led by Deputy Interior Minister Waris Leangprasert and Justice Minister Police Lieutenant General Rutthaphon Naowarat. It involved the Department of Provincial Administration's (DÒPA) special operations unit, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and police.

Search warrants were issued by the Criminal Court under the Foreign Business Act 1999. The investigation centres on suspected use of Thai nationals as proxy shareholders in companies said to be ultimately controlled by foreigners.

The authorities said the inquiry followed earlier checks on Koh Phangan and Koh Samui in Surat Thani, and Phuket.

Three Pattaya targets searched

Investigators searched the KT International Law and Business office, in Soi Post Office, Pattaya Beach Soi 13, in Pattaya, which they suspect handled the registration of Cozy Beach View Co Ltd.

Officials alleged that staff from the law office had been named as shareholders on behalf of the company's real foreign owners. Documents and other evidence were seized for further examination.

The second target was Shilat Avenue Pattaya hotel, off Soi Buakhao, another legal entity which used the same law office for company registration. Investigators said employees of the office were named among the company's founders.

A deeper check reportedly found changes to the shareholder list linked to Lotus Paradise Development Co Ltd. Authorities also identified a shareholder with work history in the aluminium sales business in Samut Sakhon, which they said pointed to a complex nominee network involving several legal entities.

The third target was Cozy Beach View Co Ltd in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung. Authorities said an Israeli investor was a company director and that its shareholder structure appeared to have used Thai nationals as nominees since 2010.

Officials said there were significant director and shareholder links between Cozy Beach View and Lotus Paradise Development. The companies were said to have combined assets worth several hundred million baht.

What foreign investors should know

The raid is a reminder that foreign nationals cannot simply use Thai friends, employees or service providers to bypass restrictions on land ownership or business activities reserved for Thais.

Thailand's Foreign Business Act regulates foreign participation in a range of businesses. Using Thai nominees to conceal foreign control can expose all involved parties - including foreign investors, Thai shareholders and advisers - to investigation.

Authorities said the searches were conducted under court warrants to secure business documents and electronic communications. Computer equipment and documents were seized and frozen for forensic examination.

Waris said the Interior Ministry would work closely with the DSI to identify everyone involved and would enforce the law strictly. The officials stressed that the investigation remains focused on gathering evidence to establish relationships and conduct within the suspected network.

Pictures courtesy of Matichon

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22 August 2026

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9 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Thai authorities have searched three locations in Pattaya and Bang Lamung as part of an investigation into suspected Thai nominee arrangements used to hold land and run businesses for foreigners.

Scary stuff.

I owned property in Thai company names in Pattaya before my children were born.

The old sphincter would have been trembling back in the day.

Edited August 21Aug 21 by SAFETY FIRST

Good, getting the local law firms who arranged these agreements!

Suprising recent Thailand business crackdown seem to be identifing more Isralies than Chineese

I would guess that 50% of Pattaya will have to be closed down if they really investigate all registered businesses there.

While they are at it dont forget the Indian and Russian clubs on walking street....

I wonder who ordered this crackdown? The man who said, "Smelly farangs."?

Maybe if all the foreign owners? and nominees are found guilty of breaking Thai Law, and establishments are closed down, Pattaya will become a ghost town. What happens to the Thai Tourist Authority and its projected tourist visits? 'Oh. We never thought of that. It's all a misunderstanding.'

1 hour ago, jippytum said:

Suprising recent Thailand business crackdown seem to be identifing more Isralies than Chineese

Most probably because Israelis have been in Thailand longer than the Chinese. From the article most of these Thai nominee businesses were set up decades ago when Thailand was looking for foreign investment and willing to turn a blind eye. The law existed then but not enforced.

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The third target was Cozy Beach View Co Ltd in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung. Authorities said an Israeli investor was a company director and that its shareholder structure appeared to have used Thai nationals as nominees since 2010.

If some of these property arrangements are that old, they may have a difficult time going after the ancillary players due to statute of limitations.

Edited August 22Aug 22 by JerryM

1 hour ago, redwood1 said:

While they are at it dont forget the Indian and Russian clubs on walking street....

A lot of Pattaya bars and clubs are owned by our dedicated police force. If the police happen to be on the company roster of shareholders then it is 100% legal. No need for investigation. The Indian and Russian owners have chosen their Thai partners wisely.

51 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

I wonder who ordered this crackdown? The man who said, "Smelly farangs."?

No the next-door Thai competitor. Nothing personal just business.

Amazing Thailand. The company structure is a common way for foreigners to own houses in countries which don't allow foreigners to directly own land, from the Philippines to Dubai. It's been widely used in Thailand, too, for at least three decades from my own experience. Yet it's only the current racist Thai PM who's throwing his toys out of the pram about it. Sure, you can go for racial purity in land ownership if you want to, but a lot of ordinary Thai people will suffer along the way, not only the unwashed farangs he hates so much.

The Thai LAWYER Thai accountant how come they’re never prosecuted they’re the ones setting everything up isn’t it weird why did the police go after the LAWYER oh I forgot this is Thailand T

2 hours ago, JerryM said:

If some of these property arrangements are that old, they may have a difficult time going after the ancillary players due to statute of limitations.

I’m not a lawyer but I don’t think statute of limitations comes into play for ongoing concerns, even those set up decades ago.

3 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Maybe if all the foreign owners? and nominees are found guilty of breaking Thai Law, and establishments are closed down, Pattaya will become a ghost town.

I suspect that you are mistaken when you assume that Pattaya s economy depends on illegal nominee businesses

3 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Maybe if all the foreign owners? and nominees are found guilty of breaking Thai Law, and establishments are closed down, Pattaya will become a ghost town. What happens to the Thai Tourist Authority and its projected tourist visits? 'Oh. We never thought of that. It's all a misunderstanding.'

Ahhhh, the old "The Thai's would never do that, they would lose too much money" saying.

They don't care. It's money today, don't worry about tomorrow.

"Returning Thai land to Thai people" 🙂

Suprising recent Thailand business crackdown seem to be identifing more Isralies than Chineese

Yes, news everywhere of an Israeli invasion. What is happening , where is this going? Even FB is full on all the groupes of this problem. And who are these people who are running lots of businesses , hotels, mostly online from outside of Thailand , employing zero Thais, and a key system operating on a code and online payment system. With no benefit to Thailand.

The illegal no licence shool having 80 kids attending sounds troubling to myself.

4 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Maybe if all the foreign owners? and nominees are found guilty of breaking Thai Law, and establishments are closed down, Pattaya will become a ghost town.

No it would make it easier to transform Pattaya into a Family Friendly destination.

Or the businesses would just be more consolidated, ie busier and since that would benefit the Thai businesses I'm sure they have no problem with this.

1 hour ago, TimBKK said:

I’m not a lawyer but I don’t think statute of limitations comes into play for ongoing concerns, even those set up decades ago.

Why would you presume the lawyers involvement is ongoing.

The criminal code on limitations references the date that the crime was committed which is setting up the nominee arrangement.

Edited August 22Aug 22 by JerryM

To the above: And even if they need a lawyer for ongoing reasons, that is not necessarily the same lawyer who set it up.

2 hours ago, JerryM said:

Why would you presume the lawyers involvement is ongoing.

The criminal code on limitations references the date that the crime was committed which is setting up the nominee arrangement.

Much like you presume the lawyer’s involvement is not ongoing - if I needed subsequent help with my nominee set up, not a stretch to presume the same lawyer wouldn’t be used again and again.

If we presume no involvement beyond the initial setup, there may still be legal grounds to argue that the initial assistance enabled a continuing crime and is thus not subject to statute of limitations.

Who knows though? What the law says and how it is applied and enforced here is anyone’s guess, especially in this morass.

2 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

Much like you presume the lawyer’s involvement is not ongoing - if I needed subsequent help with my nominee set up, not a stretch to presume the same lawyer wouldn’t be used again and again.

If we presume no involvement beyond the initial setup, there may still be legal grounds to argue that the initial assistance enabled a continuing crime and is thus not subject to statute of limitations.

Who knows though? What the law says and how it is applied and enforced here is anyone’s guess, especially in this morass.

There is statute language and hypotheticals. You can deal with the latter.

Okay, it's fine to enforce the law, but the Thai lawyers that signed off on it and arranged it, knowing their misdeeds, need to be brought to account and charged too as they broke the law as well... this one-sided action leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Come on Thailand, apply the law equally, please... or lose confidence in so many sections. So many of your own are errant too on this one.

8 minutes ago, JerryM said:

There is statute language and hypotheticals. You can deal with the latter.

I’ve dealt with both and am fine having done so.

The lawyers likely not doing anything illegal.

Off topic post discussing gender of someone in the picture. @Gknrd this is the news section, discuss the topic - “Pattaya firms raided in foreign nominee probe”

8 hours ago, Brettoj said:

Good, getting the local law firms who arranged these agreements!

I agree- and let us not forget the accountants involved as well

4 minutes ago, L- Lifeline said:

I agree- and let us not forget the accountants involved as well

Why do you assume the accountants are breaking the law?

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Why do you assume the accountants are breaking the law?

Simply on the basis if they are helping set up the nominee company they are clearly implicated