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Chon Buri Police Search 12 Pattaya-Area Sites in Nominee Land Probe Covering Assets Worth More Than THB 800 Million

Chon Buri Police Search 12 Pattaya-Area Sites in Nominee Land Probe Covering Assets Worth More Than THB 800 Million

On 21 October 2026, Chon Buri police and officials searched 12 sites in Bang Lamung, Pattaya, over suspected nominee land holdings valued at more than THB 800 million; 85 people are under review, and nobody has been convicted.

Category: News | Reading Time: 5 minutes | Date: October 21, 2026

Nominee Enforcement Reaches Private Homes in Bang Lamung #

Key takeaways

  • Twelve sites, one morning: searches began at 06:00 under court warrants.12
  • More than THB 800 million: the officials' valuation of 12 companies, 11 houses and 16 plots.13
  • Eighty-five people under review: Thai and foreign, with nobody convicted.13
  • Better-than-Freehold™ takeaway: a Thai-owned, Thai-funded company holds the title, so the structure uses no nominee shareholder.

What Did Police Search in Bang Lamung on 21 October 2026? #

Who Led the Operation and What Was Found #

Provincial police commander Pol Maj Gen Chatree Suksiri led the operation.41

At a 1.2-rai house on Soi Ruam Suk 12 in Nong Prue, officers found three Chinese men who had recently entered Thailand and more than 100 incomplete computer sets, which police seized for checks.413 The land title is registered to a company whose shareholders are all Chinese nationals.41

A company owned entirely by foreign nationals is itself a foreigner under the Foreign Business Act. The Pattaya News reports officials as saying the holding falls outside the law and ordering a forced sale, while Siam Rath says its legal position is still being checked.12

Has Anyone Been Charged? #

No charge has been confirmed. MGR Online and Siam Rath describe 85 people, Thai and foreign, as potentially facing proceedings while evidence is gathered, and The Pattaya News calls them people of interest.132

Nobody has been tried or convicted.

What Happens to the Land if a Holding Is Confirmed Unlawful? #

All four outlets quote Department of Lands officials as saying that a confirmed unlawful holding would go to forced sale within 180 days.4132 Three add that later transfers would be monitored to stop the land passing to another nominee.132

Under the Land Code, the Director-General of the Department of Lands sets a disposal period of not less than 180 days and not more than one year, and can dispose of the land if the holder has not done so by then. The foreigner is entitled to the sale proceeds.

The Pattaya News reports that the cases are being pursued under the Foreign Business Act and land laws.1 Section 36 of that Act carries up to three years' imprisonment and/or a fine of THB 100,000 to 1,000,000 for the Thai nominee and the foreigner alike, plus court-ordered cessation of the shareholding.

What Does This Mean for Owners and Buyers? #

Enforcement in the Pattaya and Chon Buri belt has now reached private homes, after earlier actions against a hotel, a condominium company and pool-villa projects.41 Investors, buyers and owners of a high-risk property-owning company there should expect Thai shareholders to be reviewed alongside the foreign beneficiaries.13

On 19 October, the Prime Minister ordered authorities nationwide to complete investigations into illegal property and business ownership by the end of 2026.4 That target covers investigations; a forced sale would follow only a confirmed case.

An owner who starts a divestment before any case opens keeps control of the timing. Divestment typically runs eight to sixteen weeks, expected to reduce to under four weeks as Better-than-Freehold™ grows. Our guide to nominee company risks sets out the exposure.

Buyers and investors should ask who holds the title and who funded the shareholders, then check the company against the Department of Business Development records before paying a deposit.

The Better-than-Freehold™ Solution #

Compliance comes first. Thailand Investor Network, a 100% Thai-owned property holding and management company with its own Thai-funded paid-up share capital, and no foreign funding or control, holds legal title.

Security follows. SPH Trustees Ltd, an offshore trustee whose Labuan FSA licence is in progress, holds the rights for the client under four principal instruments, including a registered lease and a first-priority mortgage, with a separate Option Agreement appended to the mortgage. Clear Blue Security Agents mediate and enforce those terms.

The benefits are financing to 50% LTV (expected H1 2027), resale by assignment of the trust interest, and succession without Thai probate.

See my choices How BtF™ works Contact us

Free to start · No obligation · Your decision at every stage

FAQ Section #

Twelve searches in Bang Lamung, from 06:00 under court warrants.

More than THB 800 million. That is the officials' valuation of 12 companies, 11 houses and 16 plots.

No charge is confirmed. Eighty-five people are under review.

Yes. The 85 include Thai nationals and foreign nationals of several nationalities.

A conditional timetable. A confirmed unlawful holding would go to forced sale within 180 days.

No. Under the Land Code, the foreigner is entitled to the proceeds of a forced sale.

Two days later. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's 19 October order set a year-end target for completing investigations.

Section 36 reaches both sides. The Thai nominee and the foreigner face up to three years' imprisonment and/or a fine of THB 100,000 to 1,000,000, plus court-ordered cessation of the shareholding.

Expert Guidance #

Immediate Action Required #

Check who holds the shares in your company and who paid for them. Both are central to a Ministry of Commerce nominee review. Contact the Better-than-Freehold™ advisory team for a confidential compliance assessment.

Long-term Security Strategy #

Plan the divestment before any investigation opens.

See my choices How BtF™ works Contact us

Free to start · No obligation · Your decision at every stage

Conclusion #

Nothing is proven, and 85 people remain under review while evidence is gathered. Owners in Chon Buri should review divestment before any case opens.

References #

This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. Laws and enforcement practices change; obtain advice tailored to your situation before acting.

Footnotes #

  1. The Pattaya News. (2026, October 21). "Chonburi Police Search 12 Sites in Pattaya Area Over Suspected Nominee Land Holdings Worth Over 800 Million Baht." https://thepattayanews.com/2026/10/21/chonburi-police-search-12-sites-in-pattaya-area-over-suspected-nominee-land-holdings-worth-over-800-million-baht/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14

  2. Siam Rath. (2026, October 21). Thai-language report. https://siamrath.co.th/regional/330297 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  3. MGR Online. (2026, October 21). Thai-language report. https://mgronline.com/local/detail/9690000101610 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. Bangkok Post. (2026, October 21). "Nominee hunt targets Chon Buri properties worth B800m." https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3341035/nominee-hunt-targets-chon-buri-properties-worth-b800m ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

About the Author: Andrew Moore FPFS, CDir

Chairman, Better-than-Freehold™

Andrew Moore FPFS, CDir

Andrew Moore has been an active investor in Thai property since 2004. He is a Chartered Director and a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. He has invested in and built properties in several countries since the late 1990s and first invested in Thailand in 2004. Having owned homes in Bangkok, Samui, Phangan and Phuket he can offer a unique perspective on Thailand's property markets together with past and future trends in both ownership and investor opportunities.

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