JB300

Ok... As somebody who's researching a non-O Visa for the purpose of looking into retiring in Thailand... ... That Better???

I prefer my sanity & if that means budgeting 9k a month to cover all of my visa hassles/stresses for 5 years then it doesn't feel that expensive...

Edit: I do find the pedantry around the use of the term "Retirement Visa" amusing given even the Thai Embassy sites use the term to differentiate it from other Non-O/OA visa types... Call it what it is I say...

As somebody who's researching a retirement visa for when they hit 50 (in 9 months time) I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that it might be better to just get the Thai Elite Visa (hey, it's my money) & hope that they get their act together over the 5 years that gives.

For many years I resisted watching the US version of The Office. Probably because I thought the UK version was just so good and unique.

To my surprise, the US version is also very good. Different (as it had to be), but, still very good.

Same with Shameless, thought the U.S. Version would be rubbish but it's brilliant [emoji106]

Might be worth getting in quick if you're considering buying in as previous visa changes seem to have always grandfathered existing holders

Be careful what you wish for, there are several million Chinese looking for opportunities to buy assets outside of China who would soon drive up the price of land/housing & leave a lot of guys with a genuine reason/need to have property in Thailand priced out of the market.

I think you either need to apply a strict criteria (again, for me this is Strong Ties to the country) or make the price of entry high high enough to limit the people coming in driving house prices too high.

I'd also suggest that there's a minimum period of time you have to live in the property before being able to sell it with a sliding scale of Tax to be paid depending on how long you've lived there...

Again, just my 2cents

I do not see a tsunami of foreigners who will suddenly ump in to buy land and a house after their deposit of 3,000,000 BHT payment.

Look chinese can buy already freehold condos here in Thailand and they are not doing that either !

Thailand is sadly unstable and try to resale your existing unit it is a big problem ,rental returns are weak here, so enough problems.

Thailand must make it much more attractive for foreign investors and maybe some foreigners buyers will purchase their plots and so what? it brings only lots of money in the country and fat revenues at the land offices...it creates job/sales/revenues etc.

It brings foreign investments back but if you create poor laws foreigners invest elsewhere that where we standing now.

And with that Sage like insight I'm out of here....

Here's hoping you get your wish, because if you do, I'll buy 5 or 6 of them, Flip 'em & the next poor sap that comes along to try to buy a home for his family can just pay that little bit more...

Speculation is not possible as u can only buy one land plot as stated earlier..(good luck trying to sell your properties anyway be patience)

Look at Malaysia they have interesting house ownership program for foreigners including visa to stay..and so have all these foreigners suddenly bought up Malaysia then? Nope

If you aim on houses with plots with minimum investment of 3 M BHt then it will not even effect any locals cause most of houses in Thailand are under 3 Million BHT.

I only make suggestions here its not up to foreigners to decide for Thailand property rules,however i hope somethings will be improved to revive the Property market in Thailand.

I think opening the market more for to foreign investors is a good step forward to come out this grid lock.

Yes the MM2H is an excellent example of how to control foreign investment...

1) Nominated Zones where foreigners can buy

2) Minimum spend of 1Million MYR (approx 9.2Million THB )

3) liquid assets of 500,000 MYR (approx 4.6 Million THB ) if under 50; 350,000 MYR (approx 3.2Million THB ) if over 50

4) Monthly income of 10,000 MYR (approx 92,000 THB )

And that is exactly why you're not seeing foreigners buying up the country.

Apart from Johor Bahru, where the Singaporeans are snapping up condos as quick as they can build them...

Sorry to hear that, mine are getting on (70 & 65) so I try to get back 3-4 times a year to visit whilst I still can...

Probably (definitely) the worse part of living in Asia is being so far away from your family...

JB300:

Maybe you *want* to live in Thailand?

I'm rather here as a guest than as an enemy in Europe.

Sorry, you've lost me fella... I haven't lived in Europe for 10 years though am popping back to the UK for a couple of weeks next month to visit the folks if that counts.

I completely agree....

And in the same spirit, Americans should be subject to the same Visa regulations / processes / rigmarole in Thailand as Thais are when they visit the U.S.

Retirement Visa?... What Retirement Visa???

The treaty of Amity (Thai/USA) also allows for preferential treatment for Thai businessmen applying for visas to conduct business in the United States. The formalities for their applications are kept to a minimum. Under the treaty the U.S. Congress may not enact discriminating laws against Thai firms. Their profits may be freely remitted to Thailand and their assets may not be expropriated

Relevance to this discussion being?

You wrote, "Americans should be subject to the same Visa regulations / processes / rigmarole in Thailand as Thais are when they visit the U.S."

You think 80,000 Thais live in LA because it is difficult to get in?

I suspect that there's a little more to it than turning up with your passport...

Edit: Damn, I'm English & I need to do more to visit the U.S. Than I do to visit Thailand.

No idea what I'd need to do to actually live there (hit 50 & pop $25k in a bank account & I'm all set in Thailand).

Thank you kind sir, note made to move my cash out of Singapore before end of 2016 [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

to another jurisdiction where the same will most probably happen?

Nah, stuff it under the mattress [emoji6][emoji6][emoji6]

Thailand has retained it's revered and treasured culture and it's independence and should continue to do so.

Why should farang be allowed to own Thai land when it does not belong to them?

Thai people deserve to own land abroad because they work hard and contribute to the countries they live in... whereas farang, generally, pretend to work as a 'teachers' and marry bar girls, and treat Thai people with no respect.

Go figure!!!

So you propose some kind of moral test before land is bought or sold? How dumb is that? Thais are allowed to buy land in USA and Americans should be allowed to buy land in Thailand. Tit for tat. Why should Thais be allowed to own American land that does not belong to them?

I completely agree....

And in the same spirit, Americans should be subject to the same Visa regulations / processes / rigmarole in Thailand as Thais are when they visit the U.S.

Retirement Visa?... What Retirement Visa???

The treaty of Amity (Thai/USA) also allows for preferential treatment for Thai businessmen applying for visas to conduct business in the United States. The formalities for their applications are kept to a minimum. Under the treaty the U.S. Congress may not enact discriminating laws against Thai firms. Their profits may be freely remitted to Thailand and their assets may not be expropriated

Relevance to this discussion being?

Thailand has retained it's revered and treasured culture and it's independence and should continue to do so.

Why should farang be allowed to own Thai land when it does not belong to them?

Thai people deserve to own land abroad because they work hard and contribute to the countries they live in... whereas farang, generally, pretend to work as a 'teachers' and marry bar girls, and treat Thai people with no respect.

Go figure!!!

So you propose some kind of moral test before land is bought or sold? How dumb is that? Thais are allowed to buy land in USA and Americans should be allowed to buy land in Thailand. Tit for tat. Why should Thais be allowed to own American land that does not belong to them?

I completely agree....

And in the same spirit, Americans should be subject to the same Visa regulations / processes / rigmarole in Thailand as Thais are when they visit the U.S.

Retirement Visa?... What Retirement Visa???

Edit: ok so you edited your post to add the Forbes link after I'd replied...

We're not talking about buying in the U.S. But I'd love to see this survey redone with the question/options being...

"Should Foreigners be allowed to own Property in Thailand"...

1) YES, if they're married to a Thai & have children (t)here.

2) YES, if they're married to a Thai & are supporting their partners children

3) YES, if they're willing to invest a reasonable amount of money in Thailand (per current Investment visa 10MB )

4) YES, if they've got a few quid to spare...

5) No

Yes sir Thailand is so much economically smarter than the USA.

That's why anyone from Thailand can buy land in America.

Completely missed the point of my argument... NO... Anybody (majority of people) in Thailand CANNOT buy in America because 1) They cannot go there & 2) They cannot afford it...

Edit: (because I'm obviously not managing to get my point across...) Whereas... Anybody from the U.S. can go to Thailand & (if the 3MB limit was in place) probably a large majority of them could afford to buy there...

Pshaw. Lets take one American city Los Angles. How many Thais live there? 80,000. Hardly nobody. Do a little research before posting.

Oh, just did a quick bit of googling & apparently 80,000 isn't quite a majority when talking about 70+ Million.... I did double check on my calculator & even asked my mum, apparently both mum & Google are correct....

Be careful what you wish for, there are several million Chinese looking for opportunities to buy assets outside of China who would soon drive up the price of land/housing & leave a lot of guys with a genuine reason/need to have property in Thailand priced out of the market.

I think you either need to apply a strict criteria (again, for me this is Strong Ties to the country) or make the price of entry high high enough to limit the people coming in driving house prices too high.

I'd also suggest that there's a minimum period of time you have to live in the property before being able to sell it with a sliding scale of Tax to be paid depending on how long you've lived there...

Again, just my 2cents

I do not see a tsunami of foreigners who will suddenly ump in to buy land and a house after their deposit of 3,000,000 BHT payment.

Look chinese can buy already freehold condos here in Thailand and they are not doing that either !

Thailand is sadly unstable and try to resale your existing unit it is a big problem ,rental returns are weak here, so enough problems.

Thailand must make it much more attractive for foreign investors and maybe some foreigners buyers will purchase their plots and so what? it brings only lots of money in the country and fat revenues at the land offices...it creates job/sales/revenues etc.

It brings foreign investments back but if you create poor laws foreigners invest elsewhere that where we standing now.

And with that Sage like insight I'm out of here....

Here's hoping you get your wish, because if you do, I'll buy 5 or 6 of them, Flip 'em & the next poor sap that comes along to try to buy a home for his family can just pay that little bit more...

Edit: ok so you edited your post to add the Forbes link after I'd replied...

We're not talking about buying in the U.S. But I'd love to see this survey redone with the question/options being...

"Should Foreigners be allowed to own Property in Thailand"...

1) YES, if they're married to a Thai & have children (t)here.

2) YES, if they're married to a Thai & are supporting their partners children

3) YES, if they're willing to invest a reasonable amount of money in Thailand (per current Investment visa 10MB )

4) YES, if they've got a few quid to spare...

5) No

Yes sir Thailand is so much economically smarter than the USA.

That's why anyone from Thailand can buy land in America.

Edit: (because I'm obviously not managing to get my point across...) Whereas... Anybody from the U.S. can go to Thailand & (if the 3MB limit was in place) probably a large majority of them could afford to buy there...

Edit: ok so you edited your post to add the Forbes link after I'd replied...

We're not talking about buying in the U.S. But I'd love to see this survey redone with the question/options being...

"Should Foreigners be allowed to own Property in Thailand"...

1) YES, if they're married to a Thai & have children (t)here.

2) YES, if they're married to a Thai & are supporting their partners children

3) YES, if they're willing to invest a reasonable amount of money in Thailand (per current Investment visa 10MB )

4) YES, if they've got a few quid to spare...

5) No

Edit2: Did you actually read that article, I'll be honest I tried (twice) but by the time I got to the point in the reporters story where they're talking about priming the kids & timing their naps, I hit the little x in the right hand corner...

Yes I do.... After all, they are the "Quality Tourists" that TAT are targeting...

Also they're buying in Singapore, Malaysia, UK & South Africa... Basically anywhere they can get money out of China & hedge against a China slowdown.

Be careful what you wish for, there are several million Chinese looking for opportunities to buy assets outside of China who would soon drive up the price of land/housing & leave a lot of guys with a genuine reason/need to have property in Thailand priced out of the market.

I think you either need to apply a strict criteria (again, for me this is Strong Ties to the country) or make the price of entry high high enough to limit the people coming in driving house prices too high.

I'd also suggest that there's a minimum period of time you have to live in the property before being able to sell it with a sliding scale of Tax to be paid depending on how long you've lived there...

Again, just my 2cents

Thank you kind sir, note made to move my cash out of Singapore before end of 2016 [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Well Looking at the survey about 92% of the voters would like to be able to own his land plot here.

Just like Thais can own land plots in our countries.

A poorly 8% is against any landowning these are the guys from u better go home brigade with their questionable motives...

If u make limited land owning ship like example max one rai in our own name then land speculation cant happen and neither will it bring up the prices.

What it will do is bring back a life the dead Thailand property market..

Nowadays Foreigners no longer buying houses here and houses are no longer getting sold there for laws need get fixed and made more equal..

I often see the argument "If a Thai can buy a property in my country why can't I buy one in Thailand" but I never see any acknowledgment that a much higher percentage of people from "My" country. (UK)...

1) Wants to & is able to travel there e.g. we can just turn up & be allowed in for 60 (30 day exempt + 30 days extension) whereas a Thai needs to jump through so many hoops to get a much more limited visit...

2) Would like to buy a house there

3) Can afford to buy a house there... Let's say the average price of a house in UK is around £150,000 & in Thailand is £50,000 (2.5Million Baht) then say the average UK income is £25,000 & in Thailand is £12,500 (all numbers picked to make the Maths easier) an average UK person could buy an average house in Thailand for 2x their annual salary, whereas the Thai would need to spend 12x theirs...

Not a member of the "Well Go Home Then" camp, but do believe that allowing Foreigners free reign to buy property in Thailand will be bad for the Thais & eventually bad for guys who are happy to buy a house in their Kids/Wives name as they find themselves priced out of the market.

Mate 92% of the 700 voters are disagree with u ....

Limited landownership for foreigners under certain conditions example correct visa and maximum one rai of land would only attract more foreign investments and revenues for Thailand.

So what Visa criteria do you think should be allowed to buy houses in their own name? Personally I think it's somebody with "Strong Ties" to Thailand (e.g Married with Kids, neither of which applies to me btw), but you could argue that if you wanted to encourage Foreign Investment then you would simply change the Investment Visa regs to allow it to be used to purchase 1 property (restricting size of land) for personal residency usage.

How many people would support it if it meant bringing 10Million THB into the country?

I find myself constructing a portfolio for an elderly person who lives in Thailand. When it comes to what percentage to allocate to Thailand equities, my head says 15%, but my heart says it's too much, too risky. For my own portfolio I have 5% in Thailand.

So, what percentage of your investment portfolio is invested in Thailand? And what percentage would be about right for pensioner here?

Why do you feel drawn to Thai Equities? If you want something in region then you could consider EM (Emerging Markets) funds (Aberdeen used to be very good in this space the last time I looked) or Equities in a neighboring (more "stable") country (e.g Singapore).

Ok so (most) Singapore equities don't meet your criteria of being listed on the LSE in GBP but the SGX is probably the next closest thing.

I agree with the poster who was reluctant to invest based on the political uncertainty but would recommend keeping a "Slush" (I call it "Punt") fund of cash for opportunities when things become clearer (and they will) as large gains can be made in a short period of time once the position does become clearer.

Snip...

For the lowest level financial contribution for a RETIREMENT VISA you need to have BT400,000 deposited and BT40,000 per month .

Edit: Sorry I misunderstood your point, for a Retirement visa it could by "400k in Bank AND 40k income", for Marriage it should be "400k in Bank OR 40k income".

Well Looking at the survey about 92% of the voters would like to be able to own his land plot here.

Just like Thais can own land plots in our countries.

A poorly 8% is against any landowning these are the guys from u better go home brigade with their questionable motives...

If u make limited land owning ship like example max one rai in our own name then land speculation cant happen and neither will it bring up the prices.

What it will do is bring back a life the dead Thailand property market..

Nowadays Foreigners no longer buying houses here and houses are no longer getting sold there for laws need get fixed and made more equal..

1) Wants to & is able to travel there e.g. we can just turn up & be allowed in for 60 (30 day exempt + 30 days extension) whereas a Thai needs to jump through so many hoops to get a much more limited visit...

2) Would like to buy a house there

3) Can afford to buy a house there... Let's say the average price of a house in UK is around £150,000 & in Thailand is £50,000 (2.5Million Baht) then say the average UK income is £25,000 & in Thailand is £12,500 (all numbers picked to make the Maths easier) an average UK person could buy an average house in Thailand for 2x their annual salary, whereas the Thai would need to spend 12x theirs...

Not a member of the "Well Go Home Then" camp, but do believe that allowing Foreigners free reign to buy property in Thailand will be bad for the Thais & eventually bad for guys who are happy to buy a house in their Kids/Wives name as they find themselves priced out of the market.

You only need to look at the example of the Lake District in the UK to see what happens when you allow relatively richer people (In this case Londoners looking for a "Weekend Cottage) to buy land/homes without restriction, in this case it resulted in youngsters who's families had lived in the area for generations being forced to move out of the community as they couldn't afford to rent never mind buy.

Policies got changed so a certain %age of property could only be bought by people with "Strong Ties" to the community, but much of the damage had already been done.

Similar story in Singapore, used to be relatively easy for Foreigners to (get a PR &) buy HDB housing, but restrictions have got tighter & tighter and last time I looked included a clause about selling any other property you owned overseas within 6 months... Again, probably too little too late for the locals struggling to get in the housing ladder (this in a country that allows you to offset your pension contributions against your mortgage).

Point I'm trying to make is in both the examples above, the local community suffered by not restricting "Rich Foreigners" from buying property, do you really think Thailand should go down the same route?

If you have pay stubs, it does suggest you're working (whilst being physically located) in Thailand so might be easiest to stick 400,000 THB (approx $12,000US) in a Thai Bank Account rather than force the issue & have them look too closely at your working position re Visas & Tax.

Have you actually seen any condos you like at £20,000 or are you going off of the advertising billboards you see everywhere for units typically 1) Shoe Box in size, 2) Out in the sticks & 3) Yet to break ground...

Have a look on DDProperty (http://m.ddproperty.com/en) for Used Condos for sale, should be relatively straight forward if you find ones that are already in a Foreign Name... Make sure you get yourself a decent solicitor (a couple advertise on here) & make sure you get a certificate from your Thai Bank stating that the money to pay for it came in from overseas.