fleeing

I thought the names looked familiar.

Check this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85514 for the last 'discussion', or read this contribution for a quick explanation.

The 'Vacation Investment Program' not a government-backed solution for foreigners to invest in Samui Real Estate

In accordance with a government policy to promote the tourism industry as a means to stimulate direct foreign currency into the country and consequently to improve the economic status, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has recently launched its 'Long Stay' campaign to develop and promote long term stay in Thailand. It is hoping to attract retirees from countries that have harsh winters and a higher cost of living to stay for extended periods in Thailand, as well as visitors traveling for medical and health services, international athletes who wish to make Thailand their training base as well as international students.

The 'long stay' campaign aims to offers to these groups, assistance and certain privileges like communication services, facilitating longer staying arrangement and a one-year visa. It does not create a new visa category, it aims to make it easier for these groups to apply for such a visa.

Following the government policy to promote long term stay in Thailand a Samui Real Estate agent is advertising property claiming that the Thai government has created for this purpose a new way for foreigners to purchase property in Koh Samui, offering 'perpetual leasehold' via a scheme called 'Vacation Investment Program' (VIP). This scheme says it allows foreign investors to enjoy 'perpetual' leasehold on property in Koh Samui via a recently established private company that will act as the agent for the foreigner.

In response to questions about TAT's involvement in the 'Vacation Investment Program', the TAT stated that foreign real estate investment is not part of a government policy to promote long term stay in Thailand or the TAT's longstay campaign objectives, nor does the TAT provide services for foreigners to invest in real estate on the Samui Island.

The private Thailand Longstay company limited (TLM) is a service provider, which is 30% owned by the TAT, and has been entrusted to promote Thailand's Longstay campaign and to promote Thailand as a prime tourist destination for foreigners who wish to seek a long-term stay in Thailand. Herein we find the connection with the Thai government. However, it is the private TLM Company Limited via its subsidiary private Thailand Longstay Property Management Company Limited that is associated with the 'Vacation Investments Program' on Koh Samui. Both companies failed to give the legal basis for this property purchase/ lease scheme or to produce any evidence of a government-backed method for foreigners to lease property long term ‘continuing or enduring forever'. Present lease law does not allow leases to exceed a period of 30-years.

Under the VIP scheme the foreign investor gives his money to the 100% Thai owned private VIP company that will register ownership over the property and in return gives a 30-year lease, which could be renewed in 'perpetuity'. However, like any other renewable lease constructions offered by any developer on the island, this cannot be guaranteed by law or the Royal Thai Government and the 'perpetuity' of the lease is merely based on a contractual renewal obligation.

The VIP scheme claims it 'allows' the foreigner's name (as the lessee) on the land title deed, which guarantees the perpetual nature of the lease contract. However, this is not a new development or new law, as any lease in Thailand exceeding 3 years must be registered at the local Land office and includes the registration of the name of the lessee on the title deed.

This new marketing scheme as offered by a Samui Real Estate agent has several legal implications and in practice it will encounter legal problems as the Land Code prohibits foreigners from purchasing land and prohibits Thai entities to acquire land as an agent of an 'alien'. Without proper governmental approval it must be deemed that the VIP will acquire the land under section 96 of the Land Code, as the owner in place of an alien, which contravenes section 113 of the Code.

The privileges and facilities offered under the Thailand Longstay tourism campaign are open for all foreign members and are separate from any VIP property scheme (TAT).

Although this development has apparently been ignored by the Englsih language Thai press, at least as far as I can see, Danish newspapers printed this item today from the Ritzau press agency.

Bandidos Case in Thailand falls apart

The attention grabbing case against the Bandidos and the Danish member of the rocker group Kim Lindegård Nielsen, has been reduced to one charge for two instances of threatening behaviour and extortion. The public prosecutor could not find grounds for more charges, when they were presented to the court in Bangkok on Monday.

The charges are especially weak compared to the dramatic arrest in July, with 100 special police officers mobilised on holiday island Koh Samui and seaside town Pattaya. At that time it was announced that the Bandidos rockers were the masterminds behind the massive white-washing of 3000 million baht or 455 million Danish Kroner, by illegal property deals on Koh Samui. But this part of the charges has now been dropped.

free translation from ritzau report http://www.berlingske.dk/indland/artikel:aid=805352/

Instead of slanging each other about the source of this 'contribution', it would be far more helpful if we could discuss this.

Sadly such xenophobic statements from Thai politicians and bureaucrats are not new. But will this have any effect on developments on Phangan? As sbk pointed out, these statements are rarely directed at the people being addressed, but at the media. Perhaps this is just the Deputy Governor's attempt to distance himself from the dodgy dealings on Samui, and curry a little flavour with the big boys in Bangkok. Or perhaps he is the sponsor of the Land Officer in Thong Sala, who has been making himself rather unpopular by demanding big tea money for approving any kind of title upgrade or sale that involves farang.

What does set my alarm bells ringing are the references to 'eco-cultural' tourism, with the help of 'local' investors and 'a new national park'. This is almost exactly what was referred to on Koh Chang, just before the well connected investors moved in, and proceded to build spa resorts just about everywhere.

While I think we can (almost) agree that the unbridled expansion of package-tourism and residential developments on Samui, have scarred that island in many ways, is a 'luxury package' destination (like Koh Chang) going to be much better in the long run?

Perhaps less important for most, but not for those planning to invest or move to Phangan, will such statements (if repeated) change Phangan to a place that is just not particularly pleasant to visit?

Please discuss!

It is disappointing but sadly not unexpected to read alot of your responses to the happennings around the world. The muslim-bashers amongst you (what we used to call paki-bashers in UK) would feel right at home here in Denmark, where it is perfectly acceptable to spout almost any kind of filth, as long as it is directed at non-whites, muslim or not.

It is impossible to make any informed statements about the 'Muhammad' 'caricatures' without having a semblance of background information, that the majority of you clearly lack. Anything else is just posture, a kind of literal masturbation, where you try to raise each other in absurd generalisations and offensive language.

For the record, the vast and silent majority of muslims in Denmark are angered and appalled by the continual 'bully-boy' tactics employed by the 'free and independent' Danish press. Muslims in particular and immigrants in general are consistently picked on for smear campaigns, ridicule and general 'putting the boot in'. The vast and silent majority of Danish muslims are equally appalled by the violent reactions to the 'caricatures'. The vast and silent majority of Danish muslims, much like the vast and silent majority of ethic Danes, merely want a good job, a place to live and raise their children and the possibility of giving their children some of the opportunities they themselves did not have.

If you feel a boycot of Danish goods will make you feel better or improve the situation, then feel free to do so. If you feel that buying Danish goods will make you feel better or improve the situation, please do that. If you feel that repeatedly publishing a 'caricature' of a significant part of the global population's chosen deity, will do anything but make you feel good, you have your head planted firmly up your arse.

The editor of the Danish newspaper, Jyllands Posten, has his head planted very firmly up his arse.

Unfortunately Phuket Air seem to be a bit risky to say the least.

They dropped their Saturday departure from Bangkok to London, just 2 weeks before the change was effected. Then 3 days later they also dropped the Friday departure from London to Bangkok, with 2 weeks notice.

Bad luck for me, dependent on a connecting flight to/from Copenhagen. This effectively means that I'll have to add the cost of new connecting flight tickets(250 euro) or 2 hotel nights in London plus transfers.

This effectively outweighs any advantage there was by flying Phuket Air. Apart from that I also have to rearrange my hotel reservations and re-book my flight in Thailand. On top of it all I also 'lose' two days of my trip.

Complaints to Phuket Air are, of course, met by a typically Thai silence.

Phuket Air......going nowhere slowly!!!!! BEWARE

Congratulations Sonthaya, your efforts have obviously had an effect.

The Danish Foreign ministry has, at last, revised it's advice, so that only Khao Lak and Phi Phi are on the black list now. Major tour companies are expected to resume their activities on Phuket and Krabi from the 8th February, although they expect to only be running on 45% of capacity.

This is at least a step in the right direction.

Well done

I like so many others here will make the effort to visit Phuket in the near future, hopefully February. But our individual efforts are surprisingly being thwarted by tour companies and even governments, who are doing their best to shut-down tourism to Phuket and local areas.

I was surprised to read that the Danish Foreign Ministry yesterday issued an official statement advising against travel to southern Thailand's west coast link here.

A quick translation:

'The (Danish) Foreign Ministry advises against journeys to southern Thailand's west coast, amongst other destinations, Phuket, Khao Lak and Krabi. This is based on the fact that the tidal wave of the 26th December has inflicted great damage to infrastructure etc.'

A leading Danish package-tour company (Star Tour) also states on it's website 'All departures to Phuket (and Sri Lanka) are cancelled till the 31.1.05. Customers who should have travelled in this period can either, at no cost, re-book to another destination or receive a refund.......'

Note that Star Tour made the decision to cancel all Phuket trips several days ago.

Of course most 'less savvy' tourists will take this misinformed advice as gospel and promptly cancel their trips, and from what I have read here on this forum, misinformed is a very nice way of saying bull****.

Might I suggest that local hotel owners who perhaps deal with Star Tour are made aware of this company's way of dealing with this crisis, and perhaps that people are made aware of the Danish governments attitude to helping the affected areas of Phuket. Perhaps Thai media could be made aware of this 'stab in the back' from the Danish government, and at the very least some protest mails could be sent to the Danish ambassador [email protected], expressing displeasure at the inaccuracy of the information being presented to Danish travellers.

Perhaps the Danish government feels more comfortable having people receiving 'disaster aid packages' than trying to rebuild their communities and their livelihoods.

Me, I'm just pissed off at such scaremongering.

My land on Koh Yao was totally smashed!  , new house Phuket, just about gone, but we are all ok.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Glad you are all OK. Comisserations for your house on Phuket. Re: Koh Yao, Yai or Noi? How badly has Koh Yao been hit? My sympathies and thoughts to all of you directly and indirectly effected by this. I am shell-shocked.

Anyone any info at all from Khao Lak? Hoping it's not too bad, close friends there right now.

This question was also troubling me. I have had special articles written into my lease contract to ensure my right to sub-lease or completely sell on the lease, without further agreement from the land owner.....' Lessee may sub-lease or on sell the æease provided the terms and conditions comply with this Land Lease Agreement'

I suggest you contact a lawyer to get the wording set properly, something I would recommend anyway when considering land deals in Thailand.

I've researched and understand the different taxes applied when land is sold, but how are they applied, if at all, when a land lease is registered?

Logically the tax dept. will demand their cut of the income from the lease, but will there be any tax demands on the lease-holder apart from the annual property tax?

Any advice or personal experience would be most gratefully received.

Cheers