Deputy Interior Minister Pol.Peer Suwannachavee held a workshop with governors, police commanders, and police chiefs from 20 Northeastern provinces to combat drug trafficking, nominee companies, and front accounts. He emphasized the concept: “To catch criminals and protect the people from criminals, we must think like criminals.” He urged a partnered, immediate-action approach.
At 09:00 on 28 Aug 2026 at the Khon Kaen International Convention and Exhibition Center in Mueang Khon Kaen District, Khon Kaen Province, Pol.Peer Suwannachavee, Deputy Minister of Interior, delivered policy guidance at the 4th Northeast Regional Workshop on implementing government security policies locally. Attendees included governors, deputy governors, provincial clerks, provincial police commanders, district chiefs, and police station chiefs from 20 Northeastern provinces, covering 322 districts and 488 police stations—a total of 810 participants.
Pol.Peer emphasized key security policies, part of nine prime ministerial and interior minister priorities that affect citizens: "drugs, nominee companies, and front accounts." He likened drug problems to a large tree: seizing trucks carrying drugs is like pruning branches, gradually cutting drug networks. But the main issue lies in the "roots," which are widespread in every village across Thailand. He said district chiefs and police chiefs cannot deny how deeply drugs have taken root. If local leaders truly act, drugs won’t disappear completely but will fade away, just as a tree dies if its roots are removed.
“Seizing large amounts makes for good photos, but doesn’t solve the problem. If district chiefs and police chiefs join forces to arrest village-level dealers, the drug problem in those villages and subdistricts will fade. As long as dealers evade arrest, drug spread continues,” Pol.Peer stated.
Pol.Peer urged all attendees to seriously consider how to cooperate in uprooting drugs. He said they know who sells drugs in their districts and which villages are heavily affected. It depends on each person’s discretion and skill. As the prime minister often says, “Close the name, watch the behavior.” The problem persists because, despite drug inflows, without distribution channels and sellers, drugs won’t spread. He asked officials to reflect on whether they want their children exposed to drugs. If they believe their own children won’t be affected, they risk negligence; eventually, children might use drugs due to that carelessness, he warned.
Pol.Peer also addressed the crackdown on nominee companies. Recent investigations nationwide found 3,461 companies with majority foreign ownership, 14,579 suspicious firms in total, holding over 5,800 land plots valued at 65 billion baht by appraisal or about 300 billion baht market value. Alarmingly, some company registrants still hold state welfare cards. Investigations revealed accounting and law firms offering packages including Thai names hired for 500 to 1,000 baht to facilitate foreign ownership. Not all foreigners are bad; local wrongdoers also exist. For example, in Sakon Nakhon, interior and commerce officials discovered Thai brokers registering residents’ houses as 100% Chinese-owned companies, leading to prosecutions. He urged all provinces to check for similar cases without waiting for central orders. Officials must govern their areas knowing what to do. Actions benefiting citizens must be taken immediately, without delay, or offenders will escape, harming Thai citizens. “To catch criminals and protect citizens, think like criminals.”
“Today, as provincial governors, police commanders, district chiefs, and police chiefs, you know your areas best. Anyone breaking the law must be punished, regardless of who they are. What is wrong is wrong. I ask you to apply these principles locally. Do not allow repeated problems seen in many areas, such as hotel licenses, businesses, nominee companies, and others. If the Ministry of Interior and Royal Thai Police truly work as partners, case handling and citizen protection will be faster,” Pol.Peer concluded.
