Thailand steps up Phuket nominee business probe, speeds hotel licensing
Authorities in Phuket have placed 159 suspected nominee companies under review, taken legal action against 39, and accelerated hotel permit issuance as part of a drive to reduce illicit payments.
Thailand's Interior Ministry has moved 159 companies in Phuket suspected of using nominee structures into a formal review process, with legal action already taken against 39 of them, Deputy Interior Minister Phirun Suwannachwee said.
Speaking at parliament on efforts to reorganize tourism-related businesses in Phuket, Phirun said 34 companies had already been forcibly dissolved. He added that about 200 more companies would be sent to the committee for further scrutiny.
Phirun said authorities expected to provide a progress update within this week and were aiming to hold a joint briefing with the Land Department on July 2-3. He also said that in about two weeks he and Deputy Interior Minister Vorasit Liangprasit would return to Phuket for another field visit.
The minister also outlined progress on hotel operating permits in Phuket, saying the province had previously been able to issue about 40 hotel service certificates a year. After changes in working methods following a recent field visit, about 45 permits had been issued in the past 10 days alone.
He said the faster licensing process was intended to help hotel operators and other businesses in Phuket operate legally and to reduce problems linked to illicit payments, allowing honest business owners to operate without fear or uncertainty.
