Authorities will investigate whether a Thai maid can right away inherit assets worth about 100 million baht from her French boss who was recently found dead at her residence on Koh Samui.
No foul play was immediately suspected, but a probe is underway into the establishment of a villa-style hotel belonging to Catherine Delacote in tambon Mae Nam on Koh Samui island in Surat Thani province, according to Col Dusit Kaysornkaew, head of the 4th Army's land investigative unit.
The ill 59-year-old French woman reportedly committed suicide, leaving assets totalling about 100 million baht to Nutwalai Pupongta, 49, her housemaid of 17 years.
Col Dusit said an initial examination found that the hotel was built legally but officials had yet to investigate the shareholdings in the late French woman's company which owned the hotel.
The company, GVNE, had three shareholders. Delacote had a 49% stake and two Thais held the remainder; a Thai man from Ubon Ratchthani had a 35% stake and a Thai woman from Nakhon Si Thammarat had a 16% shareholding.
Col Dusit said that officials concerned would find out if the company illegally involved Thai proxies.
According to sources, GVNE was founded to run a hotel business in April 2012. The late French woman was the sole authorised director of the company.
The French woman, who had divorced her French husband, was found dead near a swimming pool in the luxury villa compound on April 29. The body had a bullet hole through the temple and a pistol was found at the scene.
Koh Samui police chief Pol Col Krairoek Ngamsri-on said with a court order, an estate executor could allocate the late woman's assets according to her will.
Ratchapol Pulsawasdi, president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, said the two Thai shareholders in Catherine's company might have to approve the transfer of the assets.
Lawyer and former politician Niphit Intharasombat wrote that if a company illegally included a proxy shareholder, the Interior Ministry could sell its assets.
The hotel belonging to the late French woman (photo: Supapong Chaolan)