Seventy companies were picked for detailed checks and 39 were rated high risk. Sixteen gave no explanation, and all the cases are now with the Department of Special Investigation.
Chon Buri has identified 14,264 companies with foreign shareholders or co-investors as needing risk monitoring. Officials say the review is looking for firms that use Thai nominees or hold land illegally.
The figures were presented to a House foreign affairs committee at Pattaya City Hall on Friday, September 18. Officials stressed that foreign shareholding was not in itself illegal.
The provincial commerce chief, Hathairat Keerival, said 70 companies were selected for detailed inspection in the first phase. Fifty-four submitted explanations and 16 did not.
A risk assessment put 39 of the 70 in the high-risk group and 31 in the low-risk group. All the cases are now under investigation by the DSI, Hathairat said.
In Banglamung district alone, 350 companies with foreign ownership hold land. That figure came from Chaiporn Prasertsiri of the Banglamung branch of the Chon Buri Land Office.
More than 7,000 people and companies are classed as a nominee-risk group, Chaiporn said. The provincial commerce office and the DSI are examining those cases together.
The committee was led by its first vice chairman, Wasawat Phuangphonsri. Chon Buri Governor Naris Niramaiwong and Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet received the delegation.
Committee members said the findings would go to the House to support the government’s drive against nominees and grey capital. They urged agencies to pool data on transactions, shareholders and land so investigators can trace wider networks.
In similar news
- House committee presses crackdown on foreign nominee property in Pattaya
- Thailand nominee crackdown cuts new filings by 75%
- Thailand reviews citizenship rules amid foreign nominee concerns
The story Chon Buri flags 14,264 firms with foreign shareholders for nominee checks as seen on Thaiger News.
