Thai woman and 2 Chinese men arrested over nominee hotel in Chiang Mai
A Chinese woman fled arrest while two Chinese partners and a Thai nominee were taken into custody during a raid on an illegally operated hotel in Chiang Mai province on Thursday, January 15.
Officers from the Chiang Mai Provincial Immigration Office raided a hotel on Chang Klan Road in the city centre following an investigation into suspected nominee business practices. Three suspects were arrested at the scene: two Chinese men, identified only as Ma and Mi, and a Thai woman named Jin.
Police said the arrests were made after investigators found that Jin was acting as a nominee rather than a genuine business partner.
Although she was listed as a shareholder in the hotel, authorities discovered that all financial transactions and management decisions were carried out through bank accounts belonging to the Chinese nationals.
Investigators further revealed that the hotel’s investment capital of around 3 million baht originated entirely from the Chinese partners. Profits generated by the business were also transferred directly to their accounts, reinforcing suspicions that the Thai woman was used to bypass restrictions on foreign ownership.
Officers also identified another Chinese woman as being involved in the hotel’s operations. However, she managed to evade arrest and remains at large. Immigration police said further investigations are under way to track her down and pursue legal action.
The Commander of Immigration Division 5, Sarawut Khonyai, stressed that foreign investors are welcome to do business in Thailand, provided they strictly comply with Thai laws and regulations. He also warned Thai nationals against acting as nominees for foreign-owned businesses, saying such actions carry serious legal consequences.
A similar crackdown was reported in November, when three British nationals and two Thai women were arrested for illegally operating a bar on Koh Samui in Surat Thani. That case came to light after two of the British suspects were arrested in the UK for robbery.
Subsequent investigations found that Thai women held most of the shares in the venue but had no real decision-making power, while business income flowed directly to the foreign operators.
