Phuket officials to inspect alleged illegal foreign work and nominee businesses

Phuket authorities have assigned a deputy governor to lead inspections of establishments suspected of employing illegal migrant workers, following a meeting with the Thai Mai Tonn (Thais Will Not Tolerate) group on 6 August 2026.

The inspections will cover Mueang Phuket, Thalang and Kathu districts. Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum assigned Deputy Governor Pol Lt Col Khetarat Chansilp to lead the operation after the group called for an integrated Phuket Model to address what it described as illegal foreign employment and suspected nominee businesses.

The meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall was chaired by Capt Rewat Onla-or, acting head of the Policy, Planning and Intelligence Group of the Internal Security Operations Command of Phuket Province (ISOC Phuket). The group, led by chairman Akkarawut Kraisisombat, submitted information about foreigners allegedly working in occupations restricted to Thai citizens and businesses accused of using Thai nationals to hold shares on behalf of foreigners.

Authorities said inspections would check whether foreign workers have valid work permits and visas and whether their employment complies with Thai law. The group has focused on the market on Ranong Road in Phuket Town, alleging that trading continues late into the night and includes advertising in Myanmar. It also alleges that foreigners are involved in retail sales, beauty salons, brokerage and other occupations restricted under Ministry of Labour regulations.

Officials reported that 10,889 businesses in Phuket employ foreign workers, with 89,982 foreign workers across the main sectors listed, including construction, services, food and beverage, wholesale and retail, street vending and domestic work. Separate figures recorded 17,041 workers authorised under Section 59 of the Foreigners’ Working Management Act, 53 under Section 62, 208 under Section 63/1 and 95,486 under Section 63/2.

The meeting also examined suspected nominee arrangements. Phuket has 32,024 registered legal entities with combined registered capital of B240.6 billion. Officials said 11,078 companies have foreign shareholders holding between 0.001% and 49.99% of shares, while 146 companies have foreign shareholders holding more than 50%. Russian, Chinese, British, French and Australian nationals were reported as the most common foreign shareholders.

Land and real estate, tourism, e-commerce, transport and warehousing, hotels and resorts, construction and agriculture were identified as sectors requiring monitoring for possible nominee arrangements.

Phuket is already conducting a third phase of investigations into suspected foreign nominee networks, involving 62 cases. Fifty remain under investigation, four are before the courts and eight have been concluded. One group involves 25 companies in 23 nominee-related cases, while another involves 39 companies in 39 cases concerning suspected illegal foreign ownership of land. Authorities said eight cases involving the forced sale of 15 rai and 13 square wah of land had been concluded.

Phuket Provincial Police reported 556 arrests involving foreigners between 1 and 31 July. The reported offences included 434 traffic cases, 51 cases of unauthorised work, 34 other offences, 22 drug-related cases and 15 overstaying cases. The report listed 129 Myanmar nationals, 78 Russians, 46 Chinese nationals and 245 people of other nationalities among those arrested.

The figures do not represent Phuket’s foreign workforce as a whole. The official report also said Akkarawut and the Thai Mai Tonn group did not advocate legal action against Thai nationals found hiring migrant workers to work illegally.

The group’s proposed Phuket Model, intended to establish clearer and more consistent enforcement procedures against illegal employment and suspected nominee businesses, will be forwarded by the Phuket Provincial Damrongtham Centre to the governor and relevant agencies for consideration.