~59,000 Russians have moved to Phuket since 2022 and started 1603 new businesses, none which were legal.
Thailand has strict requirements in place for working and visas.
Apparently the Russian’s thought they could get away with working and owning businesses illegally.
In Thailand, when you started taking away jobs reserved for Thai’s or competing with the locals, you will soon find yourself on the end of a police investigation.
The police operation was launched after local residents complained to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that foreign nationals, mostly Russians, had been running businesses and buying many residential units and land plots with unusually high prices. Foreign-run tour-related businesses were among the activities that took away jobs from Thais and caused damage to the economic system
The foreign suspects were charged with running businesses by avoiding or violating provisions of the law, and having Thais or those who were not foreign nationals support or jointly run businesses that foreigners did not have permission to run.
Seized during the crackdown were 225 bank accounts with 319 million baht in circulation; 245 land documents, including those for 96 condominium units worth about 1 billion baht and 43 title deeds covering 24 rai of land worth about 200 million baht; 196 passports, 108 work permits; documents related to the setting up of 800 companies; 1,601 stamps of companies, four electronic devices and other items. The seized assets were worth over 1.5 billion baht, police said.
Full Story HERE