A Phuket businessman has filed a police complaint accusing a Pakistani national of illegally running a hotel and restaurant on land he legally acquired through a public auction. The complaint was lodged by Nitipon Ditthawiset, an executive of ASAF Holding Company, who visited Patong Police Station on Friday, December 5, together with his lawyer, to request an investigation into what he says is a nominee-based business operation conducted by foreign investors.
Nitipon presented officials with documents verifying his legitimate ownership of the property, which is located on Phang Muang Sai Kor Road in Patong, one of Phuket’s busiest commercial zones. The land and buildings, he said, were purchased from a reputable financial institution through a publicly supervised auction process. He paid the necessary deposit, followed all legal procedures, and completed the transfer of ownership on August 20.
Despite the legal transfer, Nitipon stated that he has been unable to take possession of the property. When he inspected the site in November, he was surprised to find the hotel and restaurant still fully occupied and operating as usual. When he showed his ownership documents to the staff and requested that they vacate the premises, they refused. The operators also declined to identify the owners or managers accountable for the ongoing business activities.
Nitipon reported that he had previously asked the police to summon those responsible for operating the businesses, but no one presented themselves to authorities. With no cooperation from the occupants, he pursued legal action by filing an eviction request with the court to regain control of his property.
In an effort to learn who was behind the continued operations, Nitipon sent people to dine at the restaurant and book a stay at the hotel. Through these undercover visits, he discovered that customers were instructed to transfer payments into the bank account of a Pakistani national. This finding strengthened his suspicion that a foreigner was using Thai nationals as nominees—an illegal method sometimes used to bypass laws restricting foreign ownership or operation of certain businesses in Thailand.
Nitipon stressed that his company has complied with all legal requirements and simply wants to make use of the property it rightfully owns. However, the ongoing occupation and refusal to leave have prevented him from moving forward with his business plans. He is now relying on authorities to verify the identities of those running the hotel and restaurant, investigate the alleged nominee structure, and enforce the law so he can regain possession.
The case highlights continuing concerns in Thailand regarding foreign investors using Thai nominees to circumvent business restrictions, particularly in tourist-heavy areas such as Phuket. Police are reviewing the documents submitted by Nitipon and are expected to continue investigating the matter. Further action will depend on the findings of both police inquiries and the court’s decision regarding the eviction.
