Supachee-Chaiyachon-Surasak-Pattana Sign 23-Unit MOU to Crack Down on Nominees and Proxy Ownership
Twenty-three Thai government and private organizations signed an agreement on April 29 to crack down on nominee schemes and money laundering, establishing coordinated monitoring and prosecution mechanisms to protect the nation's economy and
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Suthermpanth revealed that she presided as witness to the MOU signing ceremony on April 29 to prevent and suppress the use of Thai nationals as nominees (Nominee). The ceremony was attended by Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiyachon Chidchob, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Panyacharoen, and Public Health Minister Pattana Promphant at the Santitham Building, Government House. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul assigned Supachee as witness to the MOU signing, executed under the concept of "erasing economic divisions and defeating nominees." This marks a significant moment in Thai history as 23 public and private organizations committed to establishing mechanisms for monitoring, prevention, prosecution, and legal action against those engaged in nominee schemes and money laundering. The MOU signing today is not merely symbolic but a joint declaration of intent to safeguard the nation's economy.
"Nominees and shell companies have long been problems causing severe damage to security, society, commerce, and investment dimensions," Supachee stated. The MOU aims to "create opportunities for Thai people" and "reduce inequality" through three primary missions: 1) Integrating databases by linking financial trails, land and property ownership across public and private agencies systematically; 2) Creating surveillance mechanisms to jointly prevent, suppress, and prosecute offenders seriously and thoroughly, eliminating patterns of arrest avoidance or case dismissals; 3) Building confidence among Thai and international citizens that Thailand seriously suppresses wrongdoing while supporting legitimate businesses, encouraging honest entrepreneurs to thrive while the state stands ready to eliminate unscrupulous operators using strict legal enforcement. This mechanism will establish credibility for the investment sector and provide a foundation for foreign investors to choose Thailand as their investment base, transforming incorrect trade and investment practices into correct ones, and converting concealment into transparency.
Supachee emphasized that the mission requires cooperation from all 23 organizations including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, National Police Office, Anti-Money Laundering Office, Bank of Thailand, Board of Investment, Internal Security Command, Department of Business Development, Revenue Department, Customs Department, Special Investigation Bureau, Department of Land, Department of Tourism, Department of Employment, Department of Industrial Works, Department of National Parks, Department of Agricultural Extension, Office of the Trade Competition Commission, Office of the Food and Drug Administration, and the Industrial Product Standards Office.
