The Deputy Government Spokesperson revealed that under the directive of Deputy Minister Polpee and the Phuket Governor, a strict investigation of 'Chabad Patong' has been ordered, aiming to obtain all relevant information within seven days.
On 15 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Ploytale Laksamee Sangchan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, stated that according to government policy and under the instruction of Deputy Minister Polpee Suwanchavee of the Ministry of Interior regarding the construction of a foreign cemetery, it was found that the company building the cemetery has three shareholders or founders, all Israeli nationals with Thai citizenship, who also own the land plot. This may be connected to Chabad in Phuket.
Ms. Ploytale said that Mr. Chotinrin Kerdsom, Phuket Governor, has instructed relevant agencies to conduct an in-depth overall investigation of Chabad Patong. This includes land ownership, acquisition, land use permits, building permits, and commercial licenses related to all trade activities within Chabad. The probe will also verify whether the shareholders overlap with those in the Jewish cemetery company. The investigation must be completed within seven days, producing all relevant information and complying fully with applicable laws. After completion, the province will inform the public of the results.
Ms. Ploytale added that Phuket has over 32,000 registered legal entities, of which more than 11,000 (34.59%) have foreign shareholders. The top nationalities holding shares are Russian, Chinese, British, French, and Australian. Among 6,682 entities suspected of acting as nominees, sufficient evidence has led to prosecution in 196 cases. Courts have ruled on 9 cases, with 6 under consideration and 191 under investigation. The intensified scrutiny has caused registrations of companies with foreign shareholders to drop by over 60%, while entity deregistrations have risen by around 30%.