Nimit Kangkajit, chief of the Phuket branch of the Business Development Office, recently reported to Governor Nisit Jansomwong that the four suspect companies were discovered during a one-week blitz that saw 43 companies on the island raided.
“We investigated six types of tourism businesses, namely eight restaurants, 13 real estate companies, two real estate agents, 16 tour operators, two vehicle rental agencies and two spas,” Mr Nimit said.
“Four of those business – three tour operators and one real estate company – [allegedly] used illegal nominees to set up their companies… We are collecting documents, examining bank accounts and investigating the people who are named as the shareholders of these four companies.
“When our investigation is concluded, all information will be handed over to Department of Special Investigation (DSI).” Mr Nimit warned.
Santi Pawai, chief of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket office and central to the illegal nominee raids, this week declined to name the four companies under investigation.
“I cannot publicly name them at this stage due to legal reasons, as so far these companies are only under investigation,” he said.
Mr Nimit added that 37 of the 43 companies raided were still under further investigation.
“We have been unable to locate the persons named as the owners, so we are in the process of examining all the legal documents for these companies,” he said.
“Three companies need to provide additional documents and two companies were found operating at addresses different from those listed in their registration documents.”
The latest blitz on companies using illegal nominees follows raids on nine tourism businesses in Phuket last month.
Companies that could not provide the requested documentation or were closed during when the raiding officials arrived were ordered to hand over all relevant paper work within five days of face a fine of B4,000. (See story here.)