KOH SAMUI, THAILAND – Thai police said a 60-year-old British woman secretly ran a nightlife bar on Koh Samui through Thai nominees, taking in more than 17 million baht.
Raid on Chaweng nightlife bar
Officers from the Surat Thani police and immigration division carried out a raid last Tuesday on the bar “Sin by Night” in the party district of Chaweng. Authorities described the operation as part of a broader effort to curb the use of Thai nominees in foreign-run businesses.
“We were acting under national guidelines to stop foreigners who use Thai nominees for their businesses.”
said Police Colonel Naruwat Phuttawiro, head of the immigration office.
Alleged nominee scheme uncovered
Investigators said two Thai women were listed as majority shareholders of the company that operated the bar. In practice, however, the British woman, identified as Maxine, allegedly controlled all key decisions and ran the business from behind the scenes.
The officers stated that the two Thai nationals had only lent their names to the foreign operator and became nominal shareholders.
“They testified that they were only employed bartenders on a monthly salary,”
said an investigator,
“and that they had never invested any money in the business.”
Violation of foreign ownership rules
According to police, the arrangement amounted to a clear breach of Thailand’s Foreign Business Act, which restricts foreign control in certain sectors. The British suspect was described as the de facto owner who collected the profits while attempting to disguise her role through local fronts.
Authorities said the woman allegedly managed all operations and finances, while the Thai employees appeared to have limited authority. The case was presented as an example of how some foreign operators tried to bypass Thai regulations on business ownership.
Money trail in the millions
Investigators reported that from 2023 to March 2025, about 11.7 million baht (around 362,900 euros) was transferred from the company account directly to the British woman’s personal account. They added that she allegedly received a further 5.6 million baht (about 173,700 euros) in cash, which also ended up under her control.
In total, police calculated that she had taken in approximately 17.3 million baht (over 536,000 US dollars) through the business. Officers described the bar as a lucrative but illegal operation under Thai foreign ownership rules.
Family already on authorities’ radar
Officials said the woman’s family had been monitored for some time. Her son, Ashton, had previously had his visa revoked and was deported from Thailand, according to the authorities.
Despite this earlier action, investigators alleged that the mother continued running the bar until the recent raid. Police characterised the case as a particularly bold attempt to circumvent Thai law.
Charges filed against all involved
Police said charges were brought against the British woman, the two Thai women and the operating company. All four parties were expected to face proceedings under the Foreign Business Act and related regulations.
Authorities stressed that the case was intended as a warning to foreign business operators. They said the message was that Thailand would no longer tolerate illegal foreign-run businesses using Thai nominees as fronts.