Police Bust Foreign Nominee Network in Chiang Mai
Police arrested five foreign nationals and two Thai suspects in Chiang Mai after identifying 31 companies suspected of using nominees to illegally control land and assets worth 633 million baht.
Deputy Police Commissioner Samran Nualma directed the operation "Dismantling the Foreign Nominee Network Phase 5" in Chiang Mai province, with more than 250 personnel from Region 5 Police, Chiang Mai Provincial Police, and officials from the Business Development Department and Department of Land. The operation resulted in 18 search warrants across 31 cases involving assets worth 633 million baht.
Police screened over 33,144 registered companies in Chiang Mai and identified 4,741 with foreign shareholders, of which 1,591 were suspected nominees. This narrowed to 31 target companies: 16 suspected of using Thai nationals as nominee shareholders and 15 foreigners illegally holding land stakes comprising 29 plots totaling over 20 rai valued at approximately 633 million baht. Authorities issued arrest warrants for 22 foreign nationals across multiple nationalities including Myanmar (7), India (3), China (9), Britain (1), and Thai nationals (2), successfully apprehending 5 suspects—two Indians and three Myanmar nationals.
A significant case involved Village G.12 in Sariphi District where four companies were found using Thai nominees. One suspect, a Thai national named R., was imprisoned but continued to appear as shareholder and director in seven companies registered after his conviction, contradicting legitimate business participation. Another suspect, Thai national S., claimed ignorance of shareholding and receiving only 7,000 baht per transaction from a real estate agent for signing documents. A third suspect, Thai national C., denied knowledge of any shareholding involvement.
