Hua Hin police arrest 13 foreigners in property nominee crackdown

Thai police conducted a major raid in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, targeting a network of nominee companies used by foreigners to illegally control land and real estate. More than 200 officers, including representatives from the Department of Business Development and the Land Survey Office, searched 15 locations as part of a nationwide crackdown on illegal foreign ownership structures.

Thirteen foreigners—including nationals from China, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Austria, the Philippines, and the United States—were arrested. Authorities have also obtained 45 arrest warrants for foreigners and issued summonses for 39 Thai nationals suspected of acting as nominees. Investigators found that several companies were established with Thai shareholders who held no actual stake, managed no operations, and had no involvement in financial documentation.

In the Hua Hin region, approximately 849 companies are under suspicion of being part of such nominee networks. Authorities have coordinated with the provincial governor to allow affected owners a 180-day period to sell their properties independently. If the properties are not sold within this timeframe, the land is expected to revert to the Thai state.