Anutin orders probe of officials over nominee firms and land encroachment

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an investigation into district chiefs and local administrative officials in Phuket and Surat Thani after inspections linked to foreign nominee firms and public land encroachment. The move followed visits by the prime minister and senior Interior Ministry officials to Freedom Beach in Phuket and Koh Pha-ngan on Wednesday, May 13, according to the Bangkok Post.

A Government House source said Anutin summoned Department of Provincial Administration Director-General Narucha Khosasilvilai after the inspections and told him to examine why the alleged activity had been allowed to continue.

Financial scrutiny and evidence seized

The same source said Anutin personally observed alleged violations and received complaints alleging that some officials, police officers and personnel from other agencies were either involved in illegal activity or had deliberately ignored it.

The prime minister also instructed Narucha, who sits ex officio on the Anti-Money Laundering Office board, to use Amlo mechanisms to scrutinise the financial transactions of administrative officials and police in Phuket and Surat Thani. The source said any links to foreign nominee networks or illicit benefits would trigger legal and disciplinary action.

Police Deputy Inspector-General and spokesman Pol Lt Gen Trairong Piwpan said the Koh Phangan investigation identified 3,754 registered companies, including 2,381 with foreign shareholders.

He said two suspects had been arrested and warrants had been issued for three others accused of acting as proxies. Authorities also seized 37 land title deeds tied to illegal nominees, worth more than B150 million, and investigators are examining possible complicity by law firms.

Source: https://www.thephuketnews.com/anutin-orders-probe-into-officials-over-foreign-nominee-firms-and-land-encroachment-100244.php