The Prime Minister is taking serious action by summoning top police officials to discuss dismantling foreign nominee operators causing issues in Koh Phangan and Phuket, stressing the need for complete elimination.
On 14 May 2026, Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, held an urgent meeting at the Thai Khu Fah building with Police Chief Kittirat Punpetch and Deputy Police Chief Jiraphop Puridej. The tense discussion lasted over two hours and 30 minutes, focusing on plans to uproot foreign networks illegally acquiring land through nominees in Thailand.
Deputy Police Chief Jiraphop Puridej revealed after the meeting that the Prime Minister strongly emphasized cracking down on foreigners violating the law, especially regarding encroachment in the Freedom Beach forest reserve in Phuket and issues of using Thai nationality as a front in the pool villa business on Koh Phangan, Surat Thani Province.
“The Prime Minister wants police officers to strictly enforce the law against these wrongdoings and clearly stated that the problem must be dealt with completely, leaving no foreign influence to encroach on Thai land,” said Deputy Police Chief Jiraphop.
They also discussed visa measures, which are key to screening foreigners. The Prime Minister plans to implement high-level policy changes to address the root causes and prevent these groups from exploiting legal loopholes to expand their influence. Moving forward, Police Chiefs Kittirat and Samran Nuanma, Deputy Police Chief, will lead the Royal Thai Police teams in earnest enforcement under the Prime Minister’s orders.