10 Israelis deported from Thailand amid crackdown on foreign-linked crime — report |
Ten Israelis were recently deported from Thailand due to suspicions that they were operating illegal businesses in Koh Pha Ngan, The Bangkok Post reported Tuesday, amid a crackdown on foreign crime networks believed to pose a national security risk to the Southeast Asian country.
The deportations are the result of a Thai police investigation into dozens of nominee companies, which are owned by Israelis but ostensibly run by Thai operators, the report said.
As part of the investigation, The Bangkok Post said police identified 32 businesses involved in the nominee company scheme, including an unlicensed hotel that employed Thai nominees to conceal that it was owned by an Israeli national.
Another company involved was found to be in violation of Thai business regulations by allowing foreign shareholders to hold larger stakes than Thai partners, the report said.
In total, the damage caused by the businesses involved in the scheme is estimated to be over 200 million baht (around $6.1 million).
The investigation into the scheme is still ongoing, the report added.
A police source cited by the news outlet said that despite the ongoing investigations, “Israeli nationals had historically attracted less concern from Thai authorities because intelligence agencies did not view them as posing a direct security threat inside Thailand,” setting them........