11 foreign suspects arrested in nominee crackdown

B6 billion in assets seized following raids at four luxury housing estates in Bangkok

Authorities on Saturday launched the eighth phase of a crackdown on illegal foreign property ownership, raiding 17 locations at four luxury housing estates in Bangkok and arresting 11 suspects, including Chinese nationals, with assets worth more than 6 billion baht seized.

National police chief Samran Nualma led officers from the Immigration Bureau and Metropolitan Police Bureau in the operation, targeting foreigners who allegedly used Thai nominees to own houses and land.

The operation covered areas including Bang Na, Suan Luang, Rama IX, Srinakarin and Krungthep Kreetha.

Authorities had 86 arrest warrants for foreign suspects and arrested 11 people — 10 Chinese nationals and one American, Pol Gen Samran said at a media briefing.

The investigation was based on information shared by the Chinese embassy in Thailand concerning three suspects wanted by Chinese authorities.

The first suspect, identified only as Chao, held Chinese and Cambodian passports. He was wanted in connection with a murder case involving three deaths on Jan 30, 2018 in China.

Pol Gen Samran said investigators found that he was a business partner in a company holding houses and land in a luxury housing estate in the Rama IX-Srinakarin area, where properties were priced at 50 million to 69 million baht. He was also found to be linked to scam operations, said Pol Gen Samran.

The second suspect, Gui, held Chinese, Turkish and Cambodian passports. He was wanted in China for fraud and inducing people to cross borders illegally in April 2024, in Jinyun in southern Zhejiang province.

The third, Jian, held Chinese and Saint Kitts and Nevis passports and was wanted in connection with online fraud allegedly committed in December 2024 in Henan province.

The second and third suspects were found to be business partners in companies holding houses and land in a luxury housing estate in the Krungthep Kreetha area, where properties are priced at 77 million to 98 million baht. (Story continues below)

National police chief Samran Nualma (seated, centre) gives details of the crackdown operation on foreign nominees following raids on 17 locations in Bangkok on Saturday. (Photo: Provincial Police Region 2)

95 nominee companies

Pol Gen Samran said authorities had also worked with local administrations, the Department of Business Development, the Department of Lands and the Revenue Department to investigate suspected nominee companies.

The investigation identified 95 companies suspected of using Thai nationals as nominees to own 94 houses and plots of land. It also found that two company partners were subject to Interpol Red Notices, while another was wanted under a warrant issued by the Phra Khanong Criminal Court. The three suspects were:

Mr Lin, a Chinese national and business partner in a company holding property in the Rama IX-Srinakarin area. He was wanted on an Interpol Red Notice issued on March 3, 2024, by authorities in Bengbu, Anhui province, for alleged involvement in an organised criminal group engaged in online fraud.

Mr Bai, a Chinese national and business partner in a company holding property in the Krungthep Kreetha area, was subject to an Interpol Red Notice issued on Aug 19, 2022, by authorities in Taiyuan, Shanxi, for alleged involvement in an organised criminal group engaged in online fraud.

Mr Huang, a Chinese national and business partner in a company holding property in the Bang Na-Ring Road area, wanted under a Phra Khanong Criminal Court warrant issued on May 25, 2023. The charges include importing goods without customs clearance, concealing or receiving goods connected to customs offences, involvement in a secret criminal society, and unlawful land ownership by a foreign national.