The Ministry of Commerce partnered with two Parliamentary Committees to conduct a sweep in Huai Khwang targeting nominee businesses and illegal foreign workers. They found 112 suspicious restaurants and ordered the Anti-Money Laundering Office to investigate 53 high-risk cases, with plans to extend inspections to 49 districts throughout Bangkok.
Mr. Poonpong Nainapakorn, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, revealed that on 19 Jun 2026 GMT+7, the department alongside the nominee crackdown team conducted field operations in Huai Khwang, Bangkok, together with the Parliamentary Committees on Commerce and Intellectual Property, and on State Security, Thai Border Affairs, National Strategy, and National Reform; the Huai Khwang District Office; and the Immigration Bureau. They monitored issues involving nominee businesses and illegal foreign labor in an area with a significant foreign population.
Officials found clear evidence of operators circumventing the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) by using Thai nationals as shareholders to conceal the actual foreign ownership.
The sectors most affected by these violations include
restaurant and beverage businesses,
retail and wholesale trade,
and real estate businesses.
Additionally, illegal foreign labor use, working without permits, and allowing foreigners to operate businesses in place of Thai nationals were detected. These practices severely impact the economic structure, create unfair trade competition, and threaten national security.
"During this operation, the Huai Khwang District Office provided data on 112 restaurants with foreign involvement, which is under detailed investigation. For the other 49 districts in Bangkok, the department has requested information from each district office and is awaiting data for further examination," he said.
Mr. Poonpong added that prior to this field operation, the department had identified 53 legal entities in Huai Khwang considered high-risk nominee cases. These were referred to the Anti-Money Laundering Office for financial and transactional investigations and forwarded to relevant agencies for comprehensive scrutiny to prosecute offenders fully. The information was also sent to the task force combating illegal foreigners at the Royal Thai Police, the Revenue Department, and the Metropolitan Police Bureau for their respective enforcement actions.
Addressing nominee business issues requires cooperation among government, private sector, and the public. All involved agencies must strictly enforce laws to relieve the burden on both Thai and foreign entrepreneurs who conduct business legitimately. This will ensure fair competition, protect Thai operators, and build confidence in the country's economic system. Nominee practices damage the economy and Thailand itself. Citizens are urged to report nominee activities via the Department's website at www.dbd.go.th under the complaint section on nominee problems to help create a transparent and fair commercial system.
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