Koh Samui Shuts Down Four Travel Agencies for Nominee Violations

In a recent crackdown on illegal tourism operations, authorities on Koh Samui revoked the licences of four travel agencies found operating through Thai nominees. The Southern Tourism Business and Tour Guide Registration Office, along with Koh Samui Tourist Police and the Surat Thani Tourism and Sports Office, inspected 12 suspicious agencies and identified four in breach of the law. Under Thai regulations, travel agencies must have at least two-thirds of their company directors as Thai nationals, a rule these businesses violated by using foreign nationals as front directors.

One agency was found with an Israeli national as the sole director, while the others, linked to French, Belgian, and Italian nationals, had altered their director lists unlawfully. Visits to their registered addresses revealed no active operations, confirming their illegal status. Four Thai nationals were identified as nominees facilitating these setups, though their identities have not been publicly disclosed.

Following the investigation, the licences of all four agencies were revoked and seven directors, both Thai and foreign, were blacklisted and barred from operating travel agencies in Thailand for five years. The Surat Thani Provincial Commerce Office may pursue further legal action and penalties. This enforcement aligns with ongoing efforts to regulate the tourism sector, with Surat Thani province currently home to over a thousand legally registered travel agencies and tour guides across Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao.