Officials Crack Down on Foreign Nominees Holding Phangan Land

On August 14, Deputy Interior Ministers Pol Pheera Suwannachui and Worasit Liengprasit arrived at Koh Phangan District in Surat Thani to investigate and address the problem of foreign land ownership through nominee arrangements. They met with district officials, provincial authorities, and representatives from tourism, commerce, and immigration agencies. Pol Pheera stated that despite previous visits by senior officials, no progress had been made, prompting this follow-up inspection to tackle illegal nominee arrangements, foreign labor issues, and improper business registrations on the island.

The investigation revealed 104 foreign-controlled companies illegally holding 124 land parcels, with foreigners owning more than half the shares in each. Pol Pheera pledged that Thai territory must belong to Thais and that foreigners should not be allowed to monopolize land, businesses, or livelihoods. He emphasized that authorities would pursue every case of foreign ownership violating Thai law, particularly illegal hotels and commercial establishments operating outside the system and failing to report guest information to immigration.

Pol Pheera expressed frustration that some hotel operators deliberately avoid legal registration to reduce costs below legitimate businesses, allowing foreign investors to thrive while Thai workers suffer. He acknowledged Koh Phangan's unique situation, with approximately 45,000 hidden foreign residents, including 20,000 foreign laborers, many of whom work illegally and displace Thai workers. He called for coordination with the Labor Ministry to upskill Thai workers in the tourism sector to ensure they can compete for jobs and earn income, and he committed to enforcing the law regardless of investment size or resort ownership.