6-5-2024 (BANGKOK) Authorities on the idyllic island of Koh Samui are investigating a peculiar case involving the alleged inheritance of assets worth an estimated 100 million baht (approximately $3 million) by a Thai maid from her recently deceased French employer. The unexpected turn of events has raised questions about the legality of the asset transfer and prompted a thorough probe into the circumstances surrounding the late woman’s estate.
The case revolves around Catherine Delacote, a 59-year-old French national who was found dead at her residence on Koh Samui on April 29th, with a gunshot wound to the temple. Initial reports indicate no foul play, and authorities suspect she may have taken her own life. However, the revelation that Delacote allegedly left her substantial assets, including a villa-style hotel in the Mae Nam area of Koh Samui, to her longtime maid, Nutwalai Pupongta, has sparked an investigation.
Colonel Dusit Kaysornkaew, head of the 4th Army’s land investigative unit, confirmed that while the hotel itself appears to have been built legally, officials will scrutinize the shareholdings in Delacote’s company, GVNE, which owned the property. The company had three shareholders: Delacote held a 49% stake, while a Thai man from Ubon Ratchathani and a Thai woman from Nakhon Si Thammarat held 35% and 16% stakes, respectively.
The investigation aims to determine whether GVNE illegally employed Thai proxies, a practice that could invalidate the ownership structure and potentially lead to the seizure of assets by the Interior Ministry, according to former politician and lawyer Niphit Intharasombat.
Koh Samui police chief, Pol Col Krairoek Ngamsri-on, stated that with a court order, an estate executor could allocate Delacote’s assets according to her will. However, Ratchapol Pulsawasdi, president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, cautioned that the two Thai shareholders might need to approve the transfer of assets to Nutwalai Pupongta, the maid who reportedly stood to inherit the fortune.
The case has garnered significant attention not only due to the substantial value of the assets involved but also because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the inheritance. While the authorities have not ruled out foul play, the investigation will focus on unraveling the complex web of ownership and shareholding arrangements to determine the legality of the asset transfer.
