Bangkok: The Department of Business Development is urgently investigating whether three juristic persons holding land are nominees or not. The Director-General of the Department of Business Development revealed that information was found of 3 foreign juristic persons holding land in Mueang District, Chanthaburi Province, and doing business in buying and selling fruit. They are urgently investigating whether they are nominees or not and are preparing to expand the investigation to Rayong Province and nearby areas.
According to Thai News Agency, Mrs. Aromon Sapphawittham, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, spoke about the progress of the investigation after complaints were filed that foreigners owned land and did agriculture in Chanthaburi and Rayong provinces. Mr. Pichai Naripthaphan, Minister of Commerce, assigned the Department of Business Development to investigate the shareholding and registration of juristic persons to see if it constitutes a nominee offense according to the Foreign Business Act of 1999, which states that if foreigners hold more than half of the shares, they are prohibited from working in gardens, rice farming, or plantations. However, if a joint venture involves Thais holding more shares, they can do such occupations.
The Department of Business Development has worked with the Department of Lands to submit a list of 400 juristic persons in Chanthaburi Province that are in the database, requesting the Department of Lands to help verify whether they own land for agricultural purposes. Initially, the Department of Lands investigated in Mueang Chanthaburi District and found 11 juristic persons owning land. Of these, 3 owned land for agricultural purposes and were engaged in the business of buying and selling vegetables and fruits. The rest were engaged in other businesses, such as gems, which were not the target group. The investigation is underway to determine the proportion of foreigners holding shares, whether it exceeds the legal limit, and what type of business they are engaged in. If it is found that foreigners own more than 50% and that they are engaged in rice farming, planting, or gardening, it will be considered illegal and prohibited for foreigners.
In addition, the subcommittee of Mr. Napintorn Srisanpang, Deputy Minister of Commerce, and the working group to suppress foreign products and businesses that violate the law, chaired by Lt. Col. Jakra Yodmanee, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, which has more than 20 related agencies with legal authority, has requested cooperation to inspect every district in Chanthaburi Province and inspect the area of ??Rayong Province, including legal entities that may be in other areas. This is currently underway.
In this regard, if the public finds any clues or has doubts that there may be nominee holdings, they can send information to the Department of Business Development for investigation, which will then proceed according to the law.
