SURAT THANI — 10 June 2026, Thai authorities have arrested an Israeli national at Samui Airport on charges linked to an alleged nominee scheme used to acquire land on Koh Phangan through Thai proxy shareholders.
Police have been targeting foreign investors accused of illegally operating businesses, displacing Thai workers or using Thai nationals as nominees to conceal foreign ownership of land. In mid-May 2026, authorities launched an operation dubbed “Crackdown on Foreign Nominee Networks on Koh Phangan,” resulting in 45 arrest warrants. So far, 27 suspects have been apprehended, while efforts continue to locate the remaining 18.
Most recently, investigators from Surat Thani Immigration Police, working with Koh Phangan Police Station, arrested Alisa, a 30-year-old Israeli national, under an arrest warrant issued by the Samui Provincial Court on 21 May 2026.
He is accused of jointly submitting false information to land officials in order to obtain control of land through a company allegedly established using Thai nominee shareholders.
Authorities intercepted Alisa at Samui Airport as he was re-entering Thailand.
Police said Alisa was a shareholder in Alisa Paradise Co. Ltd. He had reportedly left the country before authorities executed a court-authorised search related to the investigation.
Investigators later learned that he was due to return through Samui Airport at about 10:30 on 10 June and moved in to arrest him upon arrival.
During initial questioning, Alisa admitted he was the person named in the warrant, police said.
He allegedly told investigators that he hired an accounting firm to register Alisa Paradise Co. Ltd. and used Thai nationals supplied by the firm as nominee shareholders. The company was then used to register land holdings on Koh Phangan, where he planned to build a private holiday residence in the future.
Police transferred the suspect to investigators at Koh Phangan Police Station for legal proceedings.
Authorities said they would continue expanding the investigation into the wider network, including the accounting firm involved and Thai nationals who allegedly agreed to act as nominees.
