Pichan, Secretary-General of the Prachachon Party, teamed up with Pisarn and Piangphano to urge the government to tackle the issue of gray-zone entrants into Thailand. They challenged the Prime Minister to prove his capability by boldly addressing the entire supply chain and tightening control over the Elite Card, while inviting government agencies to revise the security KPIs.
On 25 May 2026 at the Parliament building, Pichan Chaowaphatwanwong, Secretary-General of the Prachachon Party, along with the new shadow cabinet team on security, and Mr. Pisarn Manawapat and Ms. Piangphano Boonklam, presented proposals to address transnational crime resulting from illegal immigration.
Mr. Pichan stated that managing security issues involves responsibilities across multiple ministries. Thus, it is the direct responsibility of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to understand and seriously address the "entire supply chain." Beyond his role as Prime Minister, Anutin has also served as Minister of Interior since 1 September 2023, making him directly empowered in security and governance. He can issue orders directly to the police, intelligence agencies, and oversees departments responsible for issuing official registration documents, which act as "passes" for foreigners.
This security management will test the Prime Minister’s abilities. Effectively tackling transnational crime requires addressing the problem from the beginning, through the middle, to the end stages.
At the initial stage, Thailand welcomes tourists, not transnational criminals. The Prime Minister must strictly screen foreigners, especially holders of the Elite Card and long-term visas. At the middle stage, hidden issues such as benefits received by officials must be addressed. Strict law enforcement, police reform, implementation of biometric systems, and prosecuting those who order crimes—not just minor operatives—are necessary, including real estate businesses colluding with criminal networks. At the end stage, laws must be firmly enforced against foreigners holding land through nominees, and their behavior must be regulated to ensure they remain in the country according to the purposes specified in their permits.
Mr. Pisarn Manawapat advised the government to prevent transnational crime from the outset by reviewing two special permits used by foreigners to enter Thailand, which may be subject to less stringent scrutiny and thus exploited as loopholes for escape or criminal activity.
"The first is the Thailand Privilege Card (formerly Thailand Elite Card), a long-term residence package lasting 5-20 years. Although designed to attract high-net-worth individuals, it has become a "double-edged sword" because there is no verification of the source of funds or behavior of cardholders after receiving privileges. Past cases have found some cardholders were fugitives or had red notices, including Ming Chen Sun. Furthermore, data from the subcommittee in November 2025 showed membership surged from 20,000 in 2022 to 37,000 in 2024, with profits rising from 680 million baht in 2022 to 1.4 billion baht in 2024—coinciding with Thailand facing nominee and transnational crime issues. The nationalities purchasing the most cards are also those with significant legal violations."
"The second is the LTR Visa from the Board of Investment (LTR Visa: Long-Term Resident Visa), held by over 7,000 people. While it attracts high-skilled personnel, it allows investors purchasing Thai real estate worth only 15 million baht to apply, creating a loophole."
Mr. Pisarn emphasized that both permits benefit the economy and tourism but the government must increase scrutiny at the outset. He proposed that the Immigration Bureau collaborate with the Anti-Money Laundering Office to thoroughly investigate the financial trails of applicants, establish a "watching list," and reassess whether the benefits justify the risks to the country.
Ms. Piangphano Boonklam offered proposals on law enforcement, stating that to manage transnational crime, Thai government agencies must completely overhaul security KPIs. Regarding law enforcement, she agreed that reducing visa duration to 30 days is appropriate but insufficient, as enforcement gaps remain—many overstaying visas and issues exist with occupations reserved for Thai nationals. The government must strictly enforce the Immigration Act and laws protecting reserved professions, review Visa-Free and Visa on Arrival privileges—such as in the case of Nigerian nationals entering on long-term student visas who exploited legal loopholes—and intensify screening based on crime statistics including drug, criminal, and scam cases to determine which countries should retain such privileges. Additionally, officials and foreigners committing violations must be prosecuted rigorously, especially cases of identity fraud, misuse of deceased persons’ rights, issuance of fraudulent official documents, and strict enforcement against foreigners holding land through nominees.
She proposed reforming the entire security KPI system to establish joint KPIs among agencies under the Prime Minister's direct responsibility, to resolve issues of work-shifting and delays. The three main KPIs are:
1. The punishment process for offenders must be swift and decisive—for example, police reform proposals related to the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECCD) would shorten enforcement and prosecution times, addressing the current problem where offenders feel confident due to light penalties and high chances of escape.
2. Corporate data must be publicly disclosed for easier scrutiny—the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, should make corporate information public and eliminate fees, facilitating checks and reducing collusion and nominee issues.
3. A system for tracking case progress must be transparent, updating the status of investigations and prosecutions, indicating delays or speed, and final outcomes including who was prosecuted, to enhance law enforcement efficiency.
In closing, Pichan emphasized that addressing security issues will be a test of the Prime Minister's competence and cautioned against complacency. If transnational crime is not seriously and systematically addressed, Thailand risks becoming a "gray hub" where foreign criminals reside, conduct illegal businesses, and accumulate weapons with increasing ease.