Arrr! Thai scallywags be caught helpin' out foreign landlubbers stayin' too long. Off to the brig with 'em!
2024-05-31
Avast ye scurvy landlubbers! The constables in Thailand have scuttled a grand scheme of aiding foreign dogs, mainly Ruskies, to bunk down in the kingdom for the long haul. Aye, the law be swift and fierce in these waters! Arrr!
Arrr, me hearties! The scallywags in the Thai police have gone and busted up a massive network of landlubbers who were helpin' foreign folks, mostly them Russians, to stay in Thailand for the long haul by usin' company nominees or shell companies, ye see.They say a 45-year-old Russian lass who sailed into Thailand back in 2012 was runnin' the show with a Thai lady who was listed as an executive or a shareholder of over 270 companies down in the southern province of Phuket.Now, foreigners can run a business in Thailand, but they need to have a local partner, savvy? And they can't own more than 49% to keep things fair for the locals.These scallywags were offerin' a service where foreigners could be made shareholders or employees in shell companies to get work permits, said the commander of the police Economic Crime Suppression Division, arrr!A bunch of foreigners, includin' 68 Russians, have been accused of runnin' businesses without the proper papers, which could land 'em in the brig for up to three years and a hefty fine, the coppers said.The network likely been sailin' since 2016, but it saw a spike in customers after Russia's shenanigans in Ukraine in 2022, they reckon.At least 50 of these scallywags have been charged so far, said the chief investigator. Phuket, bein' a prime spot for tourists, especially them Russians, saw over 90,000 of 'em landin' there from 2019 to 2024, they say.They've also seen a sharp rise in the number of Russian-owned companies in Phuket, with over 1,600 registerin' under Russian names from 2023 to 2024, compared to a measly 30 per year before that, they claim.