Land encroachment on Koh Samui in Surat Thani is being investigated in cooperation with local authorities

The Internal Security Operation Command (Isoc) Region 4 has joined hands with local authorities to investigate land encroachment on Koh Samui in Surat Thani, focusing on 600 villas built on the island's hilltops.

Maj Gen Anusorn Ourai, deputy commander of the Fourth Army Region, presided over a meeting on Thursday to discuss what is being called the "Samui Model" operation.

It is a bid to fight against environmental vandalism, illegal land ownership, properties built in steep hilltop areas, and illegal business ventures by foreign investors using Thai nominees in Koh Samui district.

Col Dusit Kaysornkaew, head of the Fourth Army Region's land investigative unit, said eight agencies were to form a task force to inspect 600 properties in six areas of Koh Samui suspected of violating the Hotel Act, Enhancement and Conservation of the National Environmental Quality Act, Building Control Act, and Foreign Business Act.

The operation will kick off in full as soon as the Fourth Army Region commander gives his approval, Col Dusit added.

Maj Gen Anusorn said Isoc Region 4 will take legal action next week against two legal entities that own rented villas in tambon Bo Phut in Koh Samui.

The villas were earlier found to have violated the four laws mentioned previously.

According to a source, there are approximately 17,000 registered legal entities in Surat Thani.

As many as 9,000 of these entities have a single authorised signatory.

Most misdeed legal entities are based on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan islands. They were registered through Thai nominees, and their authorised signatories are foreigners.

Meanwhile, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), along with members of several other agencies, raided a law and accounting firm in Phuket on Thursday.

The company, allegedly owned by foreigners and registered through Thai nominees, was suspected of being an intermediary for as many as 60 illegal business ventures in Thailand.

The ventures, ranging from hotels and restaurants to real estate properties, have a cash flow of 200 million baht in total.