Thai Authorities Arrest 20 Israelis in Major Koh Samui Business Crackdown

Thai police launched a large-scale operation targeting foreign nationals suspected of illegally using Thai citizens as fronts to establish companies, hold land, and run businesses prohibited to foreigners. The Koh Samui Provincial Court issued arrest warrants for 20 Israelis, the highest number from any foreign nationality involved, alongside Thai nationals and others. Among those arrested was 45-year-old Israeli real estate entrepreneur Gal Bieber, detained on Saturday by Surat Thani immigration and local police. Bieber faces allegations of providing false information to public officials, unlawfully managing businesses restricted to Thai citizens, and using Thai individuals and corporations to conceal foreign ownership and control. Authorities suspect Bieber and his wife Roni created a multi-layered corporate structure with Thai shareholders as fronts, operating an international school without a license and managing luxury villas primarily rented to Israeli clients. Company records showed frequent changes in shareholders and directors, with shares initially registered to Thai nationals before transferring to Roni Bieber.

The investigation examined 12,906 companies registered in Koh Samui, identifying 8,254 with foreign shareholders and 875 flagged for potential use of fronts. The probe focused on 61 companies controlling 42 land plots and buildings spanning over 53 dunams, valued at approximately 1.5 billion baht (around 140 million shekels). Authorities opened 60 cases against 88 suspects, including 62 foreigners from Israel, Russia, France, Ukraine, and Germany. During the operation, 27 suspects were arrested, including two Israelis. Police seized corporate documents, accounting books, computers, mobile phones, and digital data to expand the investigation and identify additional suspects domestically and abroad.

Two days after the raid, Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Dr. Alona Fisher-Kamm met with Surat Thani police commanders to discuss the rising number of Israelis in Koh Samui, recent tensions between locals and Israelis, and increased enforcement against illegal businesses. The ambassador thanked Thai authorities for their assistance and emphasized the embassy's efforts to educate Israeli tourists on local laws and customs. She urged authorities to coordinate directly with the embassy on incidents involving Israelis to ensure swift and coordinated responses. Thai officials stressed that law enforcement is applied transparently and equally regardless of nationality.

This operation marks the seventh phase of Thailand's campaign against disguised foreign control of land and businesses in tourist areas. Previous phases investigated 238 companies and 272 land plots across seven provinces, including Phuket and Krabi, resulting in 178 arrest warrants and 91 arrests. Roni Bieber denied the allegations, stating their businesses operated legally with local legal and accounting guidance, and that all Thai partners were genuine participants. She confirmed full cooperation with authorities and expressed confidence that the facts would clear their names, while requesting avoidance of partial information or premature conclusions during the ongoing legal process.