THE Commerce Ministry recently discovered that there have been irregularities in the registration of 35 companies in four districts of northeastern Sakon Nakhon province with unwitting Thai villagers used to set up these 100% Chinese-owned nominee firms while 14 were totally Thai owned but none were conducting any business at all at their registered addresses, PPTVHD36 said today (Aug. 16).
Mr. Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the Department of Business Development, said the Sakon Nakhon provincial office found that 33 of these Chinese nominee companies were registered in Khok Si Suphan district and one each in Mueang and Phu Phan districts while the 14 Thai companies were registered in Sawang Daen Din district but none was carrying out any business.
Investigation revealed that a woman based in Khok Si Suphan district of this northeastern province acted as a broker, procuring copies of household registration and national ID cards from villagers at 500 to 1,000 baht each. She then handed the 35 sets of documents to Chinese investors, receiving 1,500 baht per person.
Villagers claimed that the broker stated the documents would be used for online business at a popular platform and therefore gave her the necessary papers. They added that they were unaware, uninformed, and did not consent to the registration of the company. If they had known, they would not have provided copies of their house registration documents, house numbers, and national ID cards. Most of those who provided their documents were not the homeowners, but residents whose homes were being used without their knowledge.
Furthermore, when officials from Provincial Commerce Office, Provincial Administration, Khok Si Suphan District Administration, Khok Si Suphan police station, and the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), inspected the locations of these registered companies none were found to have been used for any business activity.
All the houses remained private residences, used normally by the villagers. The homeowners stated that they were unaware that their homes had been registered as limited liability companies and that they had never consented to anyone using their house registration documents/house numbers for this purpose.
The Provincial Administration and Commerce Office advised the homeowners to file a police report against those involved in using their household papers for company registration. However, some homeowners were not yet willing to pursue legal action, presumably because their children or grandchildren may have secretly provided copies of these documents to the female broker and payment was made.
Yet there were others who have already filed complaints against the female broker for fraud and illegally using other people’s official documents for personal gain.
“We must thank Sakon Nakhon province and local government agencies for prioritising this matter. The Ministry of Commerce will closely monitor the irregular company registration and is ready to provide advice to villagers who provided their household registration and national ID cards to the female broker. Consultations can be sought from the Sakon Nakhon Provincial Commerce Office or the Department of Business Development Call Centre at 1570.
“The department will also conduct a thorough investigation to determine if Thai nationals were used as nominees or proxy entities. The law will be strictly enforced, and a comprehensive investigation into irregular company registrations will be conducted across all areas,” Poonpong stated.
CAPTIONS:
Top: A fake graffiti image by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Insert and Front Page: Director-General of Business Development Department Poonpong Naiyanapakorn. Photo – PPTVHD36
Also read:
A single duty-negligence lawsuit needed to put election commissioners in jail
Thai agencies monitoring Sumatra quake as tremors were felt in southern Thailand
Anutin bows to Thaksin in bidding farewell after funeral service
Anutin’s turboprop civilian plane given mid-air greeting by F-16 fighter jets over Korat
Thai-US trade talks irrelevant to Cobra Gold military exercise: PM
Sihasak optimistic as Australian diplomat is chosen to preside over Thai-Cambodian conciliation
People’s MP slams Anutin on controlling firearms
Popular page exposes lucky draw for 5 shotguns at official celebration
Ex-MP literally kills provincial administration head
Pheu Thai departure from Bhumjaithai-led govt deemed unlikely
Gulf visitor arrivals save Thai tourism from low season disaster
