The confirmation follows Chalong Police executing court-approved search warrants at one popular school in the south of the island, Pol Col Surasak told The Phuket News.
The searches were carried out on June 26 during a joint operation involving Chalong Police, Phuket Immigration, Mueang Phuket District officials, and Rawai and Chalong municipalities under the government’s crackdown on illegal nominee businesses, Pol Col Surasak said.
“The searches were aimed at verifying the schools’ land ownership documents, business registration, establishment records and management structure to determine whether Thai nominees had been used to conceal foreign ownership or control of the businesses,” Pol Col Surasak explained.
While the search warrants were executed, no action has been taken so far as officers are still investigating the school’s operations, he clarified.
Pol Col Surasak said nominee business investigations are an ongoing focus for Chalong Police, with 30 cases currently under investigation within the station’s jurisdiction.
"I currently have 30 reported nominee cases under investigation within the jurisdiction of Chalong Police Station," he said.
"This crackdown has not been widely publicised because cases like this are encountered quite frequently in Phuket."
Asked whether investigators had identified other schools suspected of nominee activities, Pol Col Surasak declined to answer.
He said police could not confirm whether additional schools were under investigation as document checks are continuing before any legal action can proceed.
When asked why the Phuket Provincial Education Office was not involved in the operation, Pol Col Surasak declined to elaborate, saying it is the responsibility of police to investigate nominee offences regardless of the type of business before reporting the matter to education authorities.