Over 90% view foreign 'grey’ money businesses as extreme threat - Poll

An overwhelming majority of Thai citizens feel profoundly threatened by the growing presence of illegal foreign syndicates, specifically involved in money laundering, proxy land acquisitions and ‘zero-dollar’ business models, as severe national perils, according to a poll released by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) on Sunday.

NIDA conducted the survey, titled “Illegal Foreigners”, between July 13 and 15 among 1,310 respondents nationwide to gauge public sentiment towards unlawful activities perpetrated by foreign nationals residing in Thailand.

When asked to rate the severity of specific illicit activities, an alarming 94.05% of respondents classified the establishment of front businesses for laundering ‘grey’ money as extremely dangerous to the country.

Furthermore, 82.14% labelled the use of Thai nominees or proxies to acquire land, whether through individuals, organisations or corporate structures, as a severe threat.

A similarly high percentage of respondents (81.21%) expressed extreme concern regarding Thai nominees being used to set up front businesses or hold majority shares in local companies.

Other foreign schemes were also viewed with intense anxiety. Roughly 81.76% of those polled saw ‘fake father’ rackets, where Thai men are paid to register falsely as biological parents of foreign children to secure Thai citizenship, as highly dangerous.

Meanwhile, 81.29% strongly condemned ‘zero-dollar’ tourism and business models, in which foreign investors monopolise trading systems entirely within their own national networks, starving Thai operators of revenue.

The survey also highlighted changing demographics and local displacement, with 77.48% stating that the heavy concentration of foreign nationals forming exclusive enclaves or virtual foreign towns poses a major risk.

72.98% flagged foreigners working outside the scope of their permits as deeply concerning, while 65.42% viewed foreign nationals encroaching on occupations strictly reserved for Thai citizens, such as driving commercial vehicles or working as tour guides, as highly problematic.

When respondents were asked about illegal activities they had personally witnessed, 26.11% reported encountering illicit business investments or ‘grey’ money laundering operations. Another 25.88% had observed Thais acting as proxies for foreign-owned businesses and 20.92% had seen local nominees buying up land for foreign buyers.

Furthermore, 18.85% reported witnessing the expansion of distinct foreign enclaves in their communities, while 17.71% had directly observed foreigners working in restricted occupations.

35.95%, however, claimed they had never personally witnessed any illegal foreign activities.

The public placed the blame squarely on institutional failures when asked what drives foreigners to commit these crimes. A resounding 67.10% pointed to corruption and misconduct among state officials as the primary catalyst.

Other contributing factors cited included weak legal penalties (59.31%), loopholes in government policies and existing legislation (52.21%), political corruption (50.46%), greed among certain Thai citizens willing to sell out national interests for personal gain (48.70%) and general negligence or a lack of strict monitoring by relevant regulatory bodies (44.35%).