House Committee Tackles Phuket Nominee Land Holding, Finds 1,752 Foreign-Held Firms
The House Committee on Corruption Prevention investigates illegal foreign nominee businesses and land ownership in Phuket, urging tighter legal enforcement and inter-agency data sharing.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- House Committee discusses foreign nationals using Thai nominees for Phuket land ownership.
- 1,752 companies in Phuket identified with foreign shareholders; 4,041 risky firms nationwide.
- AMLO is pushing to classify nominee offenses as predicate money laundering crimes.
On August 6, 2026, at the Parliament House, Mr. Asaphon Sarntraiphob, MP for Si Sa Ket from the Bhumjaithai Party and Chairman of the House Committee on Corruption Prevention and Suppression, revealed findings regarding the inspection of commercial registrations and land title deeds held by foreign nationals in Phuket. Following an on-site inspection in Phuket on June 26-27, the committee uncovered widespread practices of foreigners utilizing Thai nationals as nominees to register legal entities, posing potential threats to national security and the economy.
During the session, the committee summoned top officials from the Department of Lands, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), the Department of Business Development (DBD), the Central Investigation Bureau, the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECSD), the Phuket Provincial Commercial Office, the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand, and Phuket's Constituency 2 MP. The DBD reported issuing four orders and two announcements to screen high-risk business registrations and enhance data integration with the Department of Lands using 13-digit corporate identification numbers.
Focusing on Phuket specifically, out of 6,621 registered entities, 361 fell into the high-risk category and were forwarded to provincial-level committees. Legal actions have been initiated against 109 cases in Phuket, with 34 prosecuted and 2 forwarded to court. Furthermore, stringent oversight has reduced foreign business operations in the province by over 50%, with roughly 20% dissolving their operations. Nationwide, the Department of Lands reviewed 203,000 corporate entities, flagging 4,041 high-risk groups across all 77 provinces.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The issue of nominee structures and illicit foreign land ownership has long tested the boundaries of regulatory enforcement in Thailand. These networks typically exploit legal loopholes and complex corporate layering to conceal ultimate beneficial ownership. The recent push to integrate databases across the Department of Business Development, Department of Lands, and AMLO represents a critical breakthrough in systematically tracking illicit financial flows and opaque property titles.
An AMLO representative noted that the Prime Minister previously convened 23 agencies to integrate data exchange, allowing authorities to seize over 10 billion baht in illicit assets nationwide. However, nominee violations are not yet categorized as predicate offenses under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 1999. AMLO is actively amending the legislation to close this gap and mandate that accountants and legal professionals report suspicious transactions.
"The committee concludes that the nominee issue is a critical matter requiring close cooperation and data integration among all agencies, alongside legal reforms at both the primary and secondary legislation levels to close enforcement loopholes."
Asaphon Sarntraiphob
The committee also addressed unauthorized beach encroachments in Phuket, including Nui Beach, Bang Tao Beach, and Freedom Beach, following briefings by local MPs and related authorities. The committee will continue serving as a central coordinating mechanism to systematically eradicate illegal nominee land holdings. Additionally, the panel is scheduled to meet on August 13 to examine state officials' performance regarding personal data management.
Source: Khaosod Politics
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