Thailand's Commerce and Interior ministries will form a permanent joint team to pursue suspected nominee arrangements used by foreigners to operate businesses or hold land through Thai nationals.

Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun and Deputy Interior Minister Pholphee Suwanchawee agreed the plan at a meeting at 3pm on 4 September 2026 in the Kittiyakon meeting room at the Ministry of Commerce.

The Department of Business Development, Department of Provincial Administration and Land Department will link and exchange their records. Their shared database will be updated monthly, allowing officials to cross-check company registrations, shareholder changes, people connected to firms and land ownership.

Shareholder changes will be checked

A central part of the approach is the examination of historical records, rather than just a company's current shareholder structure.

Officials said some companies had changed their structures after the government intensified its action against nominees, increasing the proportion of Thai shareholders so that paperwork appeared to meet legal requirements and avoided scrutiny.

Pholphee said officials would be able to look back even where a company had since changed its shareholders. The Department of Business Development has been asked to provide historical shareholder-change data, particularly for companies identified as targets, so the facts before any restructuring can be examined.

"Thai people should not be concerned," he said. "Following today's discussion, the Department of Business Development has already been asked to cooperate by sending historical shareholder-change information, especially for companies in the target group."

Land and business arrangements in focus

The stated aims are to protect Thai businesses and legally compliant operators from being disadvantaged by capital groups exploiting nominee channels, and to prevent Thai land being controlled by foreigners through individuals or legal entities acting as holders.

For foreigners living in or investing in Thailand, the announcement does not change the rules on legitimate foreign business ownership. It does, however, signal closer and more sustained scrutiny of structures involving Thai shareholders, as well as arrangements connected with land. Foreign investors should ensure company registrations, shareholder records and land-related transactions accurately reflect the real parties involved.

Pholphee said cases would not stop with the individual or company currently named in records. Investigations will be extended to everyone involved, including accounting offices, law firms or others who helped establish and register companies, if they are found to have known about or participated in wrongdoing.

State officials found to have been involved, or to have used their positions to assist foreigners in breaking the law, will also be investigated and prosecuted without exception, he said.

A continuing joint operation

The ministries said the team will be a continuing operation rather than a one-off task force. By connecting company, personal and land data, the three departments aim to close gaps allowing nominees to be used in both business operations and land holding.

Pictures courtesy of Naewna

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7 September 2026

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If Thais have the money, they can probably own land in their name in the countries of most of the members on this forum.

A bit outdated that all the land can only being owned by Thai people... I would agree if there was a maximum of land per family too.. Foreigners can't have land to built a house for private use, but how about the thousands of rai that the rich possess??? They are not using it for housing too and only for investments. And Thais can own land in other countries without even living there...Protectionism is killing progress.. Thailand want to have more investors but the rules they make, are doing the opposite...Less attractive and Thailand will loose more than they realize

11 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

A bit outdated that all the land can only being owned by Thai people.

So the next step on changing that is a proposal put forward in the House with 20 signatories.

4 hours ago, freedomnow said:

If Thais have the money, they can probably own land in their name in the countries of most of the members on this forum.

That's if they can even enter the country. Although, according to AI, the rest of the world agrees with TH, as only 15-20% of countries allow ...

I understand this law as it pertains to businesses that are competing directly with Thai business owners. What I don't understand is why punish people who have invested money in Thailand, in a nice home, people who are law-abiding people, who pay taxes and people who bring a considerable amount to the table to Thailand's benefit?

That to me seems like a very anemic and xenophobic vision. Typical Anutin. Dumb and dumber.

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

A bit outdated that all the land can only being owned by Thai people... I would agree if there was a maximum of land per family too.. Foreigners can't have land to built a house for private use, but how about the thousands of rai that the rich possess??? They are not using it for housing too and only for investments. And Thais can own land in other countries without even living there...Protectionism is killing progress.. Thailand want to have more investors but the rules they make, are doing the opposite...Less attractive and Thailand will loose more than they realize

I like the way Thailand keeps most foreigners from buying and owning land.

In the US anybody can own land. Even if you're an illegal but you have the cash you're good to go.

Good on Thailand to protect its people and land ,

the west could learn a lot from Thailand.

18 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Good on Thailand to protect its people and land ,

the west could learn a lot from Thailand.

Sorriful you, and some others are not understand the real situation.

The farangs are investing billions per year into the thai economy.

Build up new, high quality houses, small, or big businesses. Those keep alive Thailand. Make it rich, and more richer.

The farangs never can repatriate their investment.

No transport the houses, business. If the farang has died, his investments stay here, go into the hands of the native citizens.

Fighting againist the investments are the most stupidest matter.

This is just good, for propaganda, has got good public image.

Duping the voters, i no let farangs, take away our land.

The problem as the Thai's probably see it as the Gentrification of areas by Foreigners. Foreigners pushing housing prices higher.

Phuket, Samui, (Bangkok) Ratchada-Lat Phrao , Silom, Sathorn, Sukhumvit, parts of Chang Mai, and Pattaya.

Once reaches a certain level it pushes Thai's farther out, into less desirable areas or makes them pay more for the property.

One solution could be must have been Thai Resident for X years, can only buy X size or smaller in X cities, X size or smaller in rural villages. Could use a lottery type system where every month X% of applicants are permitted to purchase and own land.

Just saying I see both sides and have seen Gentrification's effects first hand in other countries.

27 minutes ago, bogozy said:

The farangs are investing billions per year into the thai economy.

Where did you get this number from?

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

I like the way Thailand keeps most foreigners from buying and owning land.

In the US anybody can own land. Even if you're an illegal but you have the cash you're good to go.

If Thailand allowed that, you'd now be paying rent to a Chinese or Indian landlord.