Nine Foreign Suspects Arrested in Phuket Nominee Land Ownership Crackdown

Phuket authorities have arrested nine foreign suspects and moved against land holdings worth an estimated 231 million baht in a major crackdown on alleged nominee structures used to illegally acquire land.

According to the report, the Royal Thai Police have launched phase 3 of a wider operation targeting foreign nominee networks in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga. The investigation in Phuket found two groups of alleged offenders involving foreign nationals and Thai-registered companies.

In the first group, investigators examined four land plots covering 2 rai, 1 ngan and 50.5 square wah, or about 3,450 square meters. A court issued 13 arrest warrants for 12 foreign nationals. Authorities said they executed 10 of those warrants and detained nine suspects: five Israelis, two French nationals, one Dutch national and one Russian national.

In the second group, authorities found 39 companies in which foreign shareholders allegedly held more than 50%. Those companies were linked to 52 land plots covering 12 rai, 2 ngan and 62.5 square wah, or about 20,250 square meters. The court approved 29 search warrants for evidence gathering and questioning.

The report said the total area under scrutiny was 15 rai and 13 square wah, or about 24,700 square meters, with a combined estimated value of 231 million baht.

Authorities also said the operation dismantled the G-Mat corporate network in Phuket. The network allegedly operated through G-Mat Co. in hotels, resorts, condominiums and motorcycle rentals, and through Aba Co. in restaurants and cannabis shops.

The case forms part of a broader effort by Thai authorities to combat illegal business activity and the use of Thai proxies to conceal foreign ownership of land and businesses.