Expert Urges ‘Reset Phuket’ Plan Amid Nominee Business Crackdown

A member of Thailand’s National Police Policy Committee has called on the government to launch a comprehensive “Reset Phuket” strategy, warning that the island’s structural problems could undermine investor confidence and damage Thailand’s international reputation.

Assistant Professor Nopadol Kannika, a civilian representative on the National Police Policy Committee, presented the proposal as authorities continue expanding their crackdown on suspected nominee business networks across Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga.

According to Nopadol, Phuket has evolved far beyond a traditional tourist destination and now serves as one of Thailand’s key international gateways for visitors, investors, retirees, and entrepreneurs. While the island continues to attract tourists with its beaches and lifestyle, he argued that long-term confidence depends on transparency, good governance, and effective law enforcement.

Expanding crackdown

Authorities have now inspected 89 land plots with a combined estimated value exceeding 1.05 billion baht as part of the government's campaign against suspected nominee arrangements.

The operation follows policy directives issued by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and focuses on cases in which Thai nationals are allegedly used as nominees to conceal foreign ownership of businesses or land.

During the third phase of the investigation, officials identified 29 companies suspected of operating as nominee businesses. Investigators also found 48 landholding companies in which foreign shareholders reportedly held a controlling interest.

Police said courts approved 59 arrest warrants and 60 search warrants connected to the investigation.

Prime Minister Anutin is expected to join Royal Thai Police officials on June 22 to announce the latest results of operations targeting nominee networks and transnational criminal groups.

Structural challenges

Nopadol argued that Phuket’s current challenges extend well beyond individual criminal cases.

He identified a range of systemic issues, including alleged nominee ownership of land, questionable corporate structures, construction permit irregularities, urban planning concerns, professional licensing, and weaknesses in law enforcement.

Among the recurring complaints highlighted were allegations that Thai nominees are being used in property transactions, contractual obligations are not fulfilled, construction projects remain incomplete, promised investment returns are not delivered, and significant amounts of money leave the Thai economy.

He warned that failure to resolve these issues could affect not only individual investors but also Thailand’s competitiveness, credibility, and international reputation.

Seven recommendations

To restore confidence, Nopadol proposed seven priority measures.

He recommended creating a dedicated Phuket task force bringing together police, immigration, provincial administration, land offices, the Department of Business Development, the Revenue Department, and labour authorities.

Other proposals include:

• conducting deeper investigations into company ownership structures, shareholder records, financial transactions, and beneficial ownership;

• reviewing property developments that have generated investor complaints;

• auditing construction permit approval procedures;

• strengthening oversight of foreign workers and foreign-operated businesses;

• enhancing tourist safety through a "Tourist Trust Police" model; and

• developing a data-driven Phuket risk index combining complaint records, company information, permits, financial statements, and public feedback.

Nopadol stressed that the objective is not to discourage legitimate foreign investment or tourism.

Instead, he said, Phuket should no longer be perceived as a safe destination for fraud, nominee business structures, grey-market capital, or criminal influence networks.

He added that successfully addressing Phuket’s structural issues could transform the island into a national model for transparency, investor confidence, and good governance.