Phuket MP postpones DSI witness interview for third time in nominee case

People’s Party MP Somchat Techathaworncharoen has postponed a Department of Special Investigation (DSI) interview for the third time in an investigation into alleged foreign nominee ownership of property and condominiums in Phuket.

The DSI said on 14 September 2026 that Somchat had been summoned to provide information as a witness but submitted a request to postpone the appointment, citing parliamentary meetings and official duties outside the province. Investigators are examining whether the arrangements may breach Thailand’s Land Code through the use of nominees.

The previous appointments were postponed on 31 August, when Somchat cited problems sending documents and coordinating arrangements, and on 7 September, when he cited parliamentary duties related to consideration of the 2027 annual budget bill.

The DSI said Somchat remains a witness rather than a suspect. As a result, it said it had no legal authority to arrest him or seek an arrest warrant over his failure to attend the witness interview. The rules differ for a suspect’s summons, where an arrest warrant may be sought after two failures to appear, according to the investigators.

Investigators noted that Somchat’s first explanation had expressed a strong intention to provide information useful to the case, while three postponements had since been requested. They said they remained willing to hear his information and account at another time.

Somchat told Thai PBS by telephone that he had received the DSI summons as a witness and confirmed that he could not attend on 14 September because of important duties. He said he had submitted the postponement request and was waiting for the DSI to set a new date.