Authorities storm nightclubs in foreign nominee ownership crackdown on Thai island
Authorities stormed two nightclubs in a crackdown on foreign nominee ownership in Thailand.
Department of Provincial Administration officers stormed the CLC bar and The Black Bar on resort island Phuket in late-night raids on Sunday.
Officials launched 'Operation Andaman Lockdown' following complaints that the establishments were secretly controlled by foreigners and potentially involved in money laundering.
The venues were also allegedly backed by influential local figures and operating without valid entertainment licences.
Undercover gents were sent to investigate the bars before a special task force swooped in at around 11:50 pm local time.
At CLC, officers found revellers watching live performances, including provocative dances by Russian dancers.
Investigators discovered that the manager, DJs, staff and dancers were all foreign nationals from Russia, Ukraine, Iran and Myanmar, with the nightclub catering exclusively to foreign patrons.
Customers were shocked when police revealed their identities and stormed the premises.
Both establishments were reportedly operating without valid entertainment licences.
The Black Bar was also found to be selling alcohol beyond legally permitted hours.
The operators were charged with running unlicensed entertainment venues and selling alcohol beyond the permitted time.
Immigration and employment officials were also brought in to check whether foreign customers had entered Thailand legally and whether employees held valid work permits.
The department also coordinated with the Anti-Money Laundering Office to investigate the financial records of the establishments and determine whether their investment capital had been obtained legally.
Ronnarong Thipsiri, deputy director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration, said: ‘This operation aligns with the Ministry of Interior's social order policy, which aims to regulate and crack down on foreign capital acquiring businesses in tourism cities such as Phuket.
‘The Ministry of Interior's duty is to maintain social order and create a peaceful society and a well-ordered nation free from vice, where the public can enjoy security and safety.
‘Anything that contradicts this objective is precisely what we must use state mechanisms to eradicate entirely.
‘The public must also join together to act as the eyes and ears of the authorities.'
