Surat Thani immigration busts French nominee business ring

The Surat Thani Immigration Police have expanded their investigation into a suspected French businessman, Stephane Thierry Bastok, who is accused of using Thai nominees to operate businesses on Koh Samui. This investigation, dubbed "Crackdown on Foreign Nominee Networks, Phase 7," was launched in response to a policy by the National Police Chief.

The operation uncovered an allegedly unlicensed hotel and possible links to a 26.4 million baht cannabis farm investment scam. Bastok, 74, is also facing legal proceedings for allegedly persuading eight fellow French nationals to invest over 26.4 million baht (approximately €900,000) in a non-existent cannabis farm project. The investigation found links between Bastok's activities and two Thai companies, Ida B Co Ltd and IDA B Domain Co Ltd, which owned land and operated an accommodation business on Koh Samui.

However, no hotel business license was found, and the companies reported continuous losses without any genuine revenue.

Brief written by urgent.news from Khaosod English's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.