3 British nationals illegally run bar on Koh Samui using Thai nominees
Three British nationals linked to the illegal operation of an entertainment venue on Koh Samui, an island in Surat Thani province, with two Thai women acting as nominees.
Surat Thani Immigration officers yesterday, November 26, filed a complaint at Bo Phut Police Station against 60 year old British woman Maxine Lisa Schwander and two Thai women, Ladda and Jirichuda.
Schwander was accused of illegally operating a bar called Sin by Night near Chaweng Beach, using Thai nationals as nominees to conceal foreign ownership. The venue was known for hosting dance shows and allowing customers to book specific dancers for entertainment.
Her actions violate the Foreign Business Act, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine ranging from 100,000 to 1 million baht.
The case came to light following the arrest of two British men, 37 year old Ashton Kevin Saunders and 38 year old Daniel Farrer Thornton, who were hiding on Koh Samui after being wanted for a robbery in the UK.
During questioning, the pair admitted they operated the Sin by Night bar to earn money while on the run. They said Saunders’s mother, Schwander, was listed as the official shareholder to avoid detection.
Investigators found that Schwander held 49% of the company shares, while the two Thai women held a combined 51%. However, the Thai nominees had no decision-making power in the business.
A review of financial records showed that funds from the company’s two bank accounts were regularly transferred to Schwander’s personal account between 2023 and 2025, totalling more than 17 million baht.
Ladda and Jirichuda later confessed that Schwander asked to use their names as shareholders. They did not invest in the business and were only paid monthly salaries as workers at the bar.
Based on the confessions and financial evidence, immigration officers proceeded with legal action against Schwander and the two Thai nominees.
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