KOH SAMUI — A seven-month police investigation following the death of a French businesswoman in Koh Samui has revealed illegal business operations and nominee shareholding schemes, resulting in the invalidation of a substantial inheritance intended for her Thai housekeeper.
Police Major General Sermphan Sirikong, Commander of Surat Thani Provincial Police and Director of the Transnational Crime and Illegal Immigration Suppression Center (TCIISC), provided details about the case that began with the death of Madame Catherine Delacote, 59, a French national.
Madame Catherine died by suicide at her luxury villa on April 29, 2024, leaving her assets to her close housekeeper, Mrs. Nattawan, also known as “Pa Tim,” while appointing Mr. Emmanuel, a French national, as the executor of this will.
The contested inheritance included a luxury villa with land valued at approximately 30 million baht and two vacant land plots adjacent to the villa worth about 20 million baht. However, the investigation, which questioned the legality of foreign property ownership and transfer rights, has now concluded with multiple criminal charges.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Nattapong Romsai, Deputy Superintendent of Kanchanadit Police Station, submitted evidence to Koh Samui Police Station on November 26, leading to charges against Madame Catherine’s estate, GVN.E. Company Limited, and Maxicat Company Limited.
The charges include filing false information in official documents, operating unauthorized foreign businesses (specifically in land trading), illegal land acquisition by foreigners, and using Thai nominees to circumvent foreign business restrictions.
Two Thai nationals identified as nominees – Mr. Thongsai Katisuk, 50, from Ko Samui, and Mrs. Ratchaprapa Soreda, 36, from Cha-uat district in Nakhon Si Thammarat – face charges of filing false official documents, assisting foreigners in illegal land acquisition, and supporting unauthorized foreign business operations.
The case has triggered a broader investigation into foreign property ownership on Koh Samui. Lieutenant General Santi Sakuntanak, Director of Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, has ordered a comprehensive review of foreign-owned properties and their corporate structures on the island, involving local authorities and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment officials.
The investigation highlighted ongoing concerns about foreign ownership of Thai property through nominee arrangements, leading to increased scrutiny of similar cases throughout the region.
As for Pa Tim, she was not investigated in the villa possession case, but she may have rights to other assets, including jewelry from a safe deposit box and bank deposits, as specified in Madame Catherine’s will.
A reporter visited Madame Catherine’s villa on November 27 and met with Pa Tim. She said, “I don’t want to be in the news. Everything is normal.” She continues to maintain and clean the villa as before, making repairs just as when Madame Catherine was there, while another villa project is being managed by Madame Catherine’s ex-husband. As for the assets, everything is proceeding normally according to the written will. “Don’t worry about it,” she added.
In previous media interviews, Pa Tim had expressed her grief over Madame Catherine’s death, stating she never sought the inheritance and promised to care for the deceased’s three cats.
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