peterchiangmai

Last year I bought land of about two thirds of an acre in Hang Dong just outside Chiang Mai. When I say "I bought" in fact I mean that the purchase was arranged by my English sister, S***** and her husband, my brother-in-law, J***. The latter, being a Thai citizen, became the legal owner.

I came out to Thailand after Christmas and started clearing the land in preparation for planning and development. It started to look so good that my sister started to invent all sorts of obstacles for me.

The very fact that J*** legally owned the land was like a gun held to my head. But J*** and S**** fell back primarily on the excuse that the presence of a farang working on the land was causing villagers to make complaints. This they felt was a problem for them because they could be blackmailed. Can you believe that? They told me that at the time of purchase they had both had to sign a legal document denying that any of the purchase moneys had been imported from overseas. Well, of course, I had wired them the whole 1.7 million Baht and in fact I have the wire confirmation with me now to prove it. Anyway I suspect this was all bullshit because they have told me other lies as well.

Has anyone bought land through a Thai owner and heard of any sort of block on using overseas funds?

My inclination is to turn the whole matter over to the police, apart from anything else the whole business is probably a fraud, but before I do this has anyone any hard information on foreign funds not being allowed for land purchase? If there is truth in J*** and S****'s pretext could my report, unintentionally, land them in jail?

Chris, My experience is that you cannot rely on anyone however close and trusted to "own" your land for you. Early last year I thought I had bought a pleasant two rai land lot near Chiang Mai but by the time I had cleared the land and prepared it for planning and development I was given all sorts of reasons by my English sister and her Thai husband why they would have to take over the land. For one thing the local people apparently didn't like the presence of farangs and my sister and brother-in-law said they were very sensitive to such complaints. They also considered it a major and relevant issue that they did not like my travelling companion. They also claimed that they had had to sign some legal form saying that foreign funds had not been used in the purchase when in fact this was not the case. Whatever the pretext you end up screwed. I am building a website with all the details etc to save other people from this sort of experience.

Will be in Chiang Mai in a couple of weeks and I need a good trustworthy solicitor to handle the purchase of some lansd. Looking at the advice on this forum I want to first purchase the land in either my wife's or her sister's name and at the same time give me a 30 year lease prepaid for another 2 renewals (giving me 90 years altogether)

All the advice says get a trustworthy solicitor but not living there yet I have to rely on your recomendations. Also anyone know what type of fees I am looking at.

Thanks in advance.

Chris Heaton

[email protected]

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Will be in Chiang Mai in a couple of weeks and I need a good trustworthy solicitor to handle the purchase of some lansd. Looking at the advice on this forum I want to first purchase the land in either my wife's or her sister's name and at the same time give me a 30 year lease prepaid for another 2 renewals (giving me 90 years altogether)

All the advice says get a trustworthy solicitor but not living there yet I have to rely on your recomendations. Also anyone know what type of fees I am looking at.

Thanks in advance.

Chris Heaton

[email protected]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In and around Chiang Mai I am looking for the best examples of contemporary house architecture combining modern building technology with features of traditional Thai house design. Can anyone suggest any particular houses that I might go and look at from the street to learn more about what is happening in this field? My objective is to build a house, have the land already but I want to learn a lot more before going any further. Also, can anyone recommend an English speaking architect? Thank you.