Police Raid Four Luxury Bangkok Estates in Nominee Probe

BANGKOK — On 10 October 2026, police raided 17 locations across four luxury housing developments as part of an investigation into an alleged foreign nominee network involving properties worth more than six billion baht and suspected links to Chinese scam gangs and online gambling operations. National Police Chief Pol Gen Samran Nualma led the operation, which marked the eighth phase of a campaign targeting foreign nominee networks. Senior officers from the Immigration Bureau, Metropolitan Police Bureau, and police forensic units also participated.

Authorities issued 86 arrest warrants for foreign nationals and arrested 11 suspects — ten Chinese nationals and one American — during the operation.

Investigators identified four housing developments in the Bang Na–Suan Luang, Bang Na–Outer Ring Road, Rama 9–Srinakarin, and Krungthep Kreetha areas. They found 94 houses on land covering more than 33 rai, held through 95 companies allegedly using Thai nominees. The properties were valued at more than six billion baht.

Police said 96 people were identified as suspects, with investigators pursuing 95 cases. The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) joined the operation due to the value of the assets involved.

Pol Gen Samran highlighted the case of a Chinese national identified as Li Chao, who first entered Thailand in 2017 before allegedly becoming involved in a murder case in China in which three people died. According to police, Li admitted to links with online gambling operations in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko in Myanmar.

Police said Li was unable to travel to other countries after the alleged crime and went to Cambodia to obtain a passport, reportedly paying US$85,000, or about 2.8 million baht. He later entered Thailand using a Cambodian passport and purchased houses and land through companies allegedly arranged by intermediary firms.

Investigators also found a Thai national associated with one of Li’s companies. The person told police they had no knowledge of the details and had only applied for an online loan. Police suspect their documents may have been misused and said the matter would be investigated further.

Another suspect, identified as Chen, allegedly held passports from China, Turkey, and Cambodia. Chinese authorities wanted him in connection with fraud and the alleged illegal transportation of people across borders in a 2024 case in Lishui, southern Zhejiang province. He reportedly fled to Thailand and bought a house.

A further suspect, identified as Jiang, held Chinese and St Kitts and Nevis passports and was wanted in China over an alleged online fraud case in Tunzhou, Henan province. Police said Chen and Jiang were business partners in companies holding houses and land in Krungthep Kreetha, where properties were valued at around 77 million to 98 million baht. Both were arrested under warrants.

A fourth suspect, identified as Liu, was a business partner in a company holding property in the Rama 9–Srinakarin development.