The Provincial Police Region (PPR) 8 has launched a large-scale crackdown targeting foreign nationals engaged in illegal nominee businesses across seven provinces in southern Thailand.
The damages from these illicit enterprises are believed to exceed one billion baht in Phuket alone.
PPR 8 commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Surapong Thanomjit, said on Wednesday the operation aims to combat foreign networks that run businesses through Thai nominees in accordance with government policies aimed at protecting local jobs and dealing with foreigners who work in the kingdom without the proper permits.
Police recently raided 29 locations across seven provinces in the South, namely Chumphon, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phangnga, Ranong, Surat Thani and Phuket.
A total of 23 suspects were arrested, including two Chinese individuals who operated firms through nominees. They ran restaurants, international schools, hotels, car rental services, condominiums, housing estates, and luxury villas with a combined investment of more than one billion baht, he said.
Police officers also seized 4.1 million baht in cash and launched investigations into accounting firms suspected of helping issue documents for the nominee businesses for the Chinese nationals.
"The operation was successful in Phuket, the largest province under PPR 8's jurisdiction," he said.
The PPR 8, Immigration Police, Tourist Police and local officials are pursuing five more nominee cases in Phuket involving Russian, Iranian, Australian and Chinese nationals, said Phuket police chief Pol Maj Gen Sinlert Sukhum.
Additionally, seven foreigners were arrested for working without permits -- one Australian and six Myanmar nationals.
The operation remains ongoing.
In Nakhon Si Thammarat, police intercepted a major illegal e-cigarette operation, arresting a Thai suspect and seizing 50,000 e-cigarettes along with a Hino truck. This aligns with the government's policy to curb the widespread use of e-cigarettes among youth, he said.
In Surat Thani, police raided seven locations, arresting six suspects involved in nominee businesses.
Authorities will widen their investigations after discovering that 100 companies in Surat Thani may be functioning unlawfully using nominee arrangements.
