Spanish nationals linked to Krabi pool villa nominee probe
Krabi officials raided a luxury pool villa in Nong Thale subdistrict, Mueang Krabi district, yesterday, June 2, as part of an investigation into suspected nominee shareholding involving foreign business operators.
Krabi Governor Angkoon Silatewakul led the operation after officials obtained a Krabi Provincial Court warrant to search the villa, which sits on more than 1 rai of land.
Officials said the villa business was registered as a joint investment between one Thai national and two Spanish nationals.
Investigators found the Spanish operators allegedly controlled the business, raising concerns that the Thai shareholder may have been used as a nominee to avoid legal restrictions on foreign business activity.
Krabi land officials have reportedly filed a complaint with Ao Nang police for legal proceedings.
The raid also found the villa had allegedly been rented out daily to foreign tourists without a hotel business licence under the Hotel Act 2004.
Officials are also checking whether the operator reported foreign guests to Immigration as required under Section 38 of the Immigration Act 1979.
Angkoon said the case is part of a province-wide review after the Department of Business Development sent Krabi a list of 401 businesses suspected of nominee activity.
DailyNews reported that officials have searched eight of those businesses so far. One has already faced legal penalties, while six legal entities were found to involve foreign nationals holding six plots of land.
Angkoon said the Department of Business Development should notify relevant agencies whenever company shareholding changes, whether through officials or online systems, especially when foreigners acquire shares. He said this would help prevent repeated offences involving suspected nominee structures.
Elsewhere, more than 300 police officers raided 32 companies on Koh Pha Ngan as part of a crackdown on suspected foreign nominee businesses allegedly using Thai nationals to hold land on behalf of foreigners.
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