Surat Thani, February 25th, 2025 – Surat Thani police and immigration officials raided seven locations in Koh Samui, targeting foreign-owned businesses suspected of operating illegally.
The crackdown followed a complaint from Koh Samui Municipality about the “Sea Breeze” luxury villa project, allegedly built on encroached land and linked to a nominee business scheme.
Investigations revealed a German national as the project owner, with a legal firm assisting in company registrations.
Authorities found the firm had helped establish 167 companies for foreign investors, covering luxury villas, restaurants, and tourism-related businesses. Documents, financial records, and computer data were seized for further review.
Meanwhile, Region 8 Police reported the arrest of 23 suspects, including a Chinese national in Phuket accused of using nominees to run businesses worth over 1 billion baht, spanning restaurants, hotels, car rentals, and international schools.
Authorities also seized over 4.1 million baht in cash and searched accounting firms suspected of aiding illegal business operations.
