Koh phangan: Anutin Charnvirakul is preparing to visit Koh Phangan on May 13th, ordering a nationwide scan of nominees, citing them as a threat to economic security. Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that on May 13, 2026, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to visit Koh Phangan, Surat Thani Province, to closely monitor the issue of foreigners conducting business through nominees. This follows his visit to Phuket on May 10, 2026, where the Prime Minister emphasized the need to address the problems of influential figures, encroachment on public land, and the protection of citizens to ensure their ability to earn a living safely.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Rachada stated that the Prime Minister is personally following up on this matter and emphasized that the government will not allow the use of nominees or legal loopholes to become a threat to the public. She stressed that this issue is not just about business registration, but about economic stability, especially in tourist areas which have high economic value, create numerous jobs, and significantly impact the income of the general public.
The Ministry of Commerce, through the Department of Business Development, has scanned legal entities in Koh Samui and Koh Phangan and found a total of 16,811 entities. Of these, 11,426 companies, or 67.97%, have foreign investment. This includes 3,213 foreign-invested entities in Koh Phangan (out of 4,761) and 8,213 foreign-invested entities in Koh Samui (out of 12,050). This highlights the need for rigorous government scrutiny to determine if Thai nationals are being used as nominees or fronts to circumvent the law.
Ms. Rachada stated that the Prime Minister has instructed the security forces, the administrative sector, the Ministry of Commerce, and related agencies to scan every area nationwide, not just Phuket, Samui, or Koh Phangan. If they find any instances of exploiting legal loopholes to take away jobs and livelihoods from Thai people, they must take decisive legal action.
Furthermore, Ms. Rachada emphasized that the Thai government supports legitimate, transparent, and beneficial foreign investment but will not allow illicit capital, nominees, or economic crime networks to exploit Thai resources. She urged the public to be vigilant, report any suspicious activities to the authorities, and not to be used as tools by foreign entities using Thai names as fronts, emphasizing that protecting Thai jobs requires cooperation from all parties.