Bangkok Post
Phangan police blitz coincides with PM’s visit
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SURAT THANI - Hundreds of police and officials raided businesses and properties suspected of being illegally owned by foreigners on Koh Phangan as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the tourist island Wednesday.
Key facts
- SURAT THANI - Hundreds of police and officials raided businesses and properties suspected of being illegally owned by foreigners on Koh Phangan as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the tourist island Wednesday.
- Nearly 300 police officers and land officials raided 27 companies suspected of illegally owning 37 land plots on the southern tourist island. Police also arrested a foreigner suspected of operating a business reserved for Thais, with three Thais detained at the same location.
- Surat Thani governor Chumpot Wannachatsiri said officials earlier had received 29 complaints about foreign businesses using Thai proxies, leading to the arrests of 62 suspects related to 21 of the complaints.
- Police on Wednesday took legal action against 12 companies accused of illegal foreign land ownership, said Pornpot Penpat, director-general of the Department of Land. They were among 47 companies suspected of violating foreign ownership laws.
- Mr Pornpot said that 1,832 foreign companies owned land on Koh Phangan. But he also pointed out that land rights documents covered 38% of the island and foreign companies occupied only six percent of those properties. Therefore, it was impossible for foreign companies to “dominate” Koh Phangan as some have feared, he said.
Summary
Nearly 300 police officers and land officials raided 27 companies suspected of illegally owning 37 land plots on the southern tourist island. Police also arrested a foreigner suspected of operating a business reserved for Thais, with three Thais detained at the same location.
Surat Thani governor Chumpot Wannachatsiri said officials earlier had received 29 complaints about foreign businesses using Thai proxies, leading to the arrests of 62 suspects related to 21 of the complaints.