Siam Legal Phuket Advises on Thailand's Crackdown on Nominee Firms Affecting Foreign Investors
Siam Legal International, a law firm based in Phuket, is advising foreign investors on the legal implications following Thailand's intensified enforcement against nominee structures. This comes after the Department of Business Development, in collaboration with other government agencies, shut down four companies in Chon Buri province. These companies were suspected of using Thai nominee shareholders to bypass foreign ownership restrictions under the Foreign Business Act. The enforcement targeted businesses in the tourism and property sectors, allegedly controlled by foreign interests through indirect shareholding. Authorities found patterns of corporate structuring designed to evade legal ownership limits, with some companies registered under the same address and linked to a single Thai national. This crackdown included revoking licenses for tour operators not meeting statutory director requirements, with further investigations ongoing.