Surat Thani, Thailand – Thai police launched intensified inspections of foreigners on the tourism islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan after investigations uncovered a range of alleged legal violations, authorities said.
High-level operation ordered
Police General Samran Nuanma, the deputy national police chief, personally chaired a senior meeting in Surat Thani to coordinate a broad campaign targeting illegal activity by foreigners. He said the government and the Royal Thai Police had made tackling crimes by non-citizens that harm Thais a top priority.
“Those who commit crimes, their accomplices and even officials who collude with them will be held accountable,” Samran said, instructing a taskforce to enforce the law strictly, transparently and continuously to restore public confidence among residents and visitors.
Environmental offences singled out
Investigators focused in particular on alleged illegal construction and environmental damage in protected areas. Police Colonel Apisan Chairat of the Nature and Environmental Crime Division confirmed probes into several foreigners, including Israelis, accused of removing rock formations and building villas in protected forest zones.
Private events held on leased land inside Than Sadet Waterfall National Park were also under review. Prosecutors and police are pursuing those cases under an initiative dubbed the “Samui Model,” which targets land seizures and environmental breaches on the islands.
Checks on visas and registrations
Authorities said immigration officers and Provincial Police Region 8 were ordered to scrutinise visa extensions and irregular registrations across the southern provinces. The inspections were described as aimed at suspicious transactions and structures rather than at any particular nationality.
Areas under scrutiny
Officials listed the main targets of the operation: land ownership and shell-company arrangements, misuse of state land, building permits and construction projects, and illegal car rental and tour operations. Ongoing investigations into foreigners conducting unauthorised business on both islands were being reviewed as part of the wider clampdown.
Industry concerns and communication
The private sector had expressed worries that heavy-handed enforcement and negative media coverage could harm tourism. Samran responded that prevention and enforcement operations must be communicated clearly and that law-abiding foreigners and tourists would be treated fairly and not harassed.
Authorities said the message was clear: Thailand’s resort islands must not become lawless havens for criminal activity, and anyone found breaking the law will face consequences, including complicit officials.