UPDATE: DSI summons Phuket MP over alleged nominee property holdings

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has summoned Somchart Techathaworncharoen, the People’s Party MP for Phuket Constituency 1, to clarify his alleged role in companies under investigation for suspected nominee arrangements, the Bangkok Post reported on 21 August 2026.

DSI spokesperson Pol Lt Col Woranan Srilam, director of the Consumer Protection Division, said the investigation followed evidence presented by Monthanee Tantisu, a former DJ, actress and financial lecturer, alleging that Somchart had breached nominee laws in Phuket.

The Bangkok Post, citing a DSI source, reported that officials had found evidence suggesting Somchart was a shareholder in companies that owned property and condominiums in Phuket in partnership with foreign nationals. The source said he had been summoned to give a statement as a witness to the DSI’s security cases division on 31 August 2026.

Somchart was expected to provide company registration documents, details of the management structure, his responsibilities and financial records to explain the source and purpose of money transfers connected to the companies. The Bangkok Post said he was also expected to clarify the source of funds used in businesses involving land and condominium units and provide evidence that the arrangements were not intended to conceal foreign ownership.

Authorities were also looking into more than 30 companies, the Bangkok Post reported. Many were alleged to have been engaged in genuine business operations but appeared to hold land and condominium units jointly with foreign nationals. According to the DSI, as reported by the Bangkok Post, Somchart reportedly held a 99.99% stake in a company with no apparent business operations but property worth more than B100 million, including land and condominium units involving foreign nationals.

Daily News reported in its 19 August 2026 edition that Somchart, whom it described as an “orange” Phuket MP, faced an allegation that a nominee had been used to hold real estate worth B100 million. That figure came from the Daily News report. The allegations remained under investigation, and no charges had been filed against anyone.

Woranan said investigators would invite relevant people and those implicated in the allegations to provide information and documents to determine whether shares had been held on behalf of foreign nationals. Details of the investigation remained confidential.

The DSI had not yet accepted the matter as a special case and would first assess whether the allegations met the legal criteria under the Special Cases Investigation Act 2004. If an offence was found but the matter did not meet the criteria for a DSI investigation, it would be referred to a relevant agency, such as the police or the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Somchart said in a Facebook post on 19 August 2026 that he would meet the DSI, provide information and co-operate fully to demonstrate his innocence. He strongly denied acting as a nominee for foreigners, saying he was a businessman involved in several ventures, including a property investment and leasing business connected to the allegations. He said no Thai land had been transferred to foreigners through his business activities and that he would take legal action over what he described as political manoeuvring that exceeded legal limits and infringed his rights and freedoms.