PAI, Mae Hong Son — Immigration authorities in Mae Hong Son province have arrested three foreign nationals in the popular tourist district of Pai as part of a comprehensive crackdown on illegal business operations, nominee shareholding arrangements, and labor law violations. The coordinated enforcement action underscores the government’s ongoing efforts to regulate foreign enterprise and ensure strict compliance with Thai immigration and labor regulations.

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The operation resulted in the apprehension of an Israeli man identified only as Goren, who was arrested under an active warrant issued by the Mae Hong Son Provincial Court. He faces serious allegations of providing false information to government officials and violating the Foreign Business Act. Investigators accuse the suspect of utilizing Thai nationals as nominees to illegally operate a studio business in the district, a practice strictly prohibited under Thai law to prevent foreign dominance in restricted business sectors.

In separate but related enforcement actions, police also detained an American man identified as Frank and a Spanish woman identified as Natalia. The American suspect was arrested on charges of engaging in employment without a valid work permit, alongside failing to report his residential presence to immigration authorities within the legally mandated timeframe. Similarly, the Spanish national was taken into custody for working in Thailand without the requisite work permit, highlighting the strict enforcement of labor protections designed to safeguard the domestic workforce.

Immigration police have arrested three foreign nationals in Mae Hong Son's Pai district as part of a crackdown on illegal business operations, nominee shareholding arrangements and labour law violations.

The arrests followed investigations into suspected illegal business… pic.twitter.com/3kZQEfrPzS

— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) June 7, 2026

Following the initial arrests, immigration officers conducted extensive searches across five separate locations in the area. These raids were aimed at gathering additional documentary and physical evidence to substantiate the charges and to identify the Thai nationals suspected of acting as nominees in the illegal business arrangements. The expanded investigation seeks to dismantle the entire network facilitating these unlawful commercial operations.

The Immigration Bureau has reiterated its steadfast commitment to enforcing laws against nominee arrangements, unauthorized business operations, and illegal employment by foreign nationals. Authorities emphasize that these stringent measures are essential to ensuring fair economic competition, protecting local livelihoods, and strengthening national security. The enforcement drive in Pai, a renowned hub for international tourists and expatriates, serves as a clear warning that all foreign residents and business operators must strictly adhere to the legal frameworks governing their stay and commercial activities in Thailand.

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As the investigation continues, authorities will process the suspects through the legal system and pursue charges against any Thai nationals found to be complicit in the nominee arrangements.

-Thailand News (TN)