Thailand to Investigate 27,000 Businesses in Nominee Crackdown
DBD targets sectors vulnerable to misuse of Thai nominees by foreign entities
The Department of Business Development (DBD) in Thailand plans to investigate 27,000 juristic persons in 2025 to tackle the issue of Thai nominees being used by foreign businesses.
This initiative targets sectors such as tourism, real estate, hotels, transport, logistics, and e-commerce.
According to Auramon Supthaweethum, the DBD's director-general, the probe will include examining the registration and financial credentials of Thai partners, shareholding structures, company executives, voting rights, and dividend distributions.
The crackdown follows local business complaints and data from relevant agencies.
A new Intelligence Business Analytic System will be launched within six months to detect nominee usage risks.
In 2024, 26,019 juristic persons were already scrutinized, leading to intense investigations of 498 business entities.
Of these, 371 entities were cleared, 64 faced charges for accounting irregularities, and further investigations are ongoing for 63, including four suspected nominee cases.