Hua Hin pool villa nominee raids net 13 foreigners

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

20 yr appreciation, and you only show a few baht. You show your ignorance with every new post.

You do realize, the people in OP, can simply transfer their holdings to a Thai person, they trust, and lose almo

There are people that have no friends and that trust no one.

What real estate investors to not buy properties that are significantly under market?

3 hours ago, save the frogs said:

one has massive repercussions, the other doesnt

I will apologize a bit to you -- however on this website, if you want to discuss the legality of soybeans you can't do it on the soybean forum

20 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

There are people that have no friends and that trust no one.

That's me.

One Thai woman is the only person you need to trust in the whole damn country to survive.

Just now, save the frogs said:

That's me.

One Thai woman is the only person you need to trust in the whole damn country to survive.

That is not you if you have a woman you trust.

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

To the first part of your comment, currently, yes. Most Thai women I come in contact with are prostitutes.

Be careful with that.

That lifestyle rewires your brain and you will have a hard time going back to normal dating.

Just now, Yellowtail said:

That is not you if you have a woman you trust.

I mean most people have a fairly large circle of friends.

That doesn't work for me.

Just now, save the frogs said:

Be careful with that.

That lifestyle rewires your brain and you will have a hard time going back to normal dating.

A lot of men treat women like whores and moan when they act like one.

The one expat advice - well known in Thailand but maybe not well know enough it seems - has stood the test of time

"In Thailand, never invest more than you are prepared to walk away from"

I own a 13 year old Japanese car. I have a few pieces of my own furniture but otherwise rent a furnished condo. Cash in a few accounts here. That's it.

20 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

The one expat advice - well known in Thailand but maybe not well know enough it seems - has stood the test of time

"In Thailand, never invest more than you are prepared to walk away from"

I own a 13 year old Japanese car. I have a few pieces of my own furniture but otherwise rent a furnished condo. Cash in a few accounts here. That's it.

I do not invest anything anywhere that I am not prepared to walk away from.

3 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Be careful with that.

That lifestyle rewires your brain and you will have a hard time going back to normal dating.

You are right, and I am careful with that. I keep it real.

Had an old flame call past Thailand a while back. I met her in Bangkok and we had a great time. "My hotel or yours?" I haven't lost my charm. 😂

4 hours ago, JerryM said:

ou have minimum 180 days to sell property when notified by authority that your nominee structure is illegal

Link please.

4 hours ago, JerryM said:

But so far it doesn't seem any such properties -- except resort properties maybe near Khao Yai -- in Issan have been targeted.

There's 47,000 Thai companies suspected of using Thai nominees. They can't all get a knock on the door in the first week of enforcement.

If they are smart, many will get a chance to correct the wrong decision they made in the past.

Some may sign over to a Thai lady who may or may not do the right thing.

Some will sell at a loss and start again, the correct way, if they can.

Some may sell and make a few baht, because they bought in decades ago.

All these options are better than being arrested, charged, sentenced, deported, and blacklisted. (see link previously posted re recent cabinet meeting in July)

30 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

You have minimum 180 days to sell property when notified by authority that your nominee structure is illegal

Link please.

https://www.thailandlawonline.com/article-older-archive/land-laws-prohibiting-foreign-land-ownership

30 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

There's 47,000 Thai companies suspected of using Thai nominees. They can't all get a knock on the door in the first week of enforcement.

You said: Of course, location etc plays a factor. If in Issan, forget it.

Edited August 13Aug 13 by JerryM

3 minutes ago, JerryM said:

https://www.thailandlawonline.com/article-older-archive/land-laws-prohibiting-foreign-land-ownership

Your link, not mine.

https://www.thailandlawonline.com/article-older-archive/land-laws-prohibiting-foreign-land-ownership

"Foreigners who unlawfully acquire land, either directly or through a Thai nominee, may be required to dispose of the land and may be subject to criminal penalties under the Land Code Act, including section 111."

The use of the word "MAY" is no guarantee.

5 minutes ago, JerryM said:

You said: Of course, location etc plays a factor. If in Issan, forget it.

Seriously, what buyers exist for a dodgy Thai company nominee structure for a property in Issan?

Definitely signed over to the Thai lady, get the popcorn. 😂

Or, sold at a loss to a Thai, IF a Thai will touch it.

5 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Your link, not mine.

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little

Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little

Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

(The Music Man, 1957)

Edited August 13Aug 13 by JerryM

1 minute ago, JerryM said:

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little

Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little

Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more

It was your link, not mine.

Nothing conclusive in it.

Post the Thai laws that show an illegal Thai company using nominees, when shut down, the director/ majority shareholder is permitted to sell off the illegal company's asset/s and keep the proceeds.

You are the one that put it forward.

I am up here in Issan. Thanks.

On 8/11/2026 at 8:38 AM, Brettoj said:

These are advertised on facebook all the time. I nearly bought one but I just felt the arrangement for ownership a bit loose and thought they were using a loophole in the laws. I’m so glad now I followed my instincts. The companies selling these need to be prosecuted and money returned to the scammed buyers!

I've never met a scammed buyer. I have met loads of buyers that knew they were doing it illegally but convinced themselves it was OK because everybody else was doing it. Your instincts were correct but it doesn't take good instincts.

16 minutes ago, atpeace said:

I've never met a scammed buyer. I have met loads of buyers that knew they were doing it illegally but convinced themselves it was OK because everybody else was doing it. Your instincts were correct but it doesn't take good instincts.

Just like using an agent to circumvent the financial requirement for a visa. Everyone knows, they just do not think it will get them.

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Just like using an agent to circumvent the financial requirement for a visa. Everyone knows, they just do not think it will get them.

Been here 25 years and have used agents a couple times but I knew it wasn't risk free. I almost did it last year after losing my retirement visa ( my fault) and wanted to avoid leaving the country and starting over. Decided to do it the legal way. Things are changing and the risks are much much higher today vs 10 years ago. I never would have bought a condo using a fake company setup. IMO, that would be less than intelligent.

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Just like using an agent to circumvent the financial requirement for a visa. Everyone knows, they just do not think it will get them.

Thailand may wake up one morning and decide to get rid of the agent route. Then everyone will be forced to go the proper route or leave the country.

It does not belong in the same conversation as people owning 50 million baht villas on nominee structures.

People involved in nominee structures were not doing it in the open with govt officials standing by and explicitly approving it. Visa agents are in the open. Everyone knows where their offices are, they go to immigration every day, it's not done in the shadows. See the difference?

Edited August 13Aug 13 by save the frogs

38 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

See the difference?

Yes there is a difference: The agent visa extension route involves directly paying a bribe to an immigration official to exercise his/her 'discretion' whereas registering a nominee ownership arrangement does not.

20 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Thailand is an unstable country, with a slowing economy, which makes it no place for one to move their life savings to.

And the UK looks like a bad place to leave them too!

4 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Thailand may wake up one morning and decide to get rid of the agent route. Then everyone will be forced to go the proper route or leave the country.

It does not belong in the same conversation as people owning 50 million baht villas on nominee structures.

People involved in nominee structures were not doing it in the open with govt officials standing by and explicitly approving it. Visa agents are in the open. Everyone knows where their offices are, they go to immigration every day, it's not done in the shadows. See the difference?

Has someone said they were the same?

Nominee structures are done in the open and have to be approved by government officials. One has a lot more financial risk than the other, but one does not seem more illegal than the other.

Are looters less criminal than shoplifters? Looting is done in the open.

And people do not just do it for B50M villas, they also do it for B3M homes up-country.

To be clear, I do not consider people that use visa agents to circumvent the B800K in the bank, or the people that use a company to buy property morally deficient, nor do I wish them any ill will. But it does promote government corruption, which I am against.

Nah YT it's simple: People will acknowledge that however tolerated to date a non-financially viable nominee type purchase arrangement is illegal but people will swear on a stacka bibles that giving an agent 15K baht and getting a no 800K in the bank retirement extension is legal because of IMM Officer DISCRETION! You betcha.

The reason it can be advertised and done in the open is that you will not see this:
What did #1 RTP Immigration officer say to #2 RTP Immigration officer?

You're under arrest.

Edited August 14Aug 14 by JerryM

27 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Nah YT it's simple: People will acknowledge that however tolerated to date a non-financially viable nominee type purchase arrangement is illegal but people will swear on a stacka bibles that giving an agent 15K baht and getting a no 800K in the bank retirement extension is legal because of IMM Officer DISCRETION! You betcha.

The reason it can be advertised and done in the open is that you will not see this:
What did #1 RTP Immigration officer say to #2 RTP Immigration officer?

You're under arrest.

I understand the guys with no money using visa agents to circumvent the law, but I do not understand guys with money doing it.

I do not understand anyone doing the phony company thing to "buy" property. It just seems like the wheels have to fall off at some point.

3 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

but I do not understand guys with money doing it.

The fringe benefit is that they get to tell everyone how smart they are.

14 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Or, sold at a loss to a Thai, IF a Thai will touch it.

Yes. While the current foreign 'owners' will certainly be facced with a 'distressed sale' - some are sitting on property and structures worth 10-20 million baht in many cases. Not sure if there are enough rich Thais to buy them all. Legit companies might see an opportunity to grab several and then turn them into AirBnBs. Still with 47,000 (and counting) it wouldn't be worthwhile to buy more than a handful and the ROI would take years. The price point for middle class Thai purchasers would probably be 5-6 million max (holiday home).

1 hour ago, ronnie50 said:

Yes. While the current foreign 'owners' will certainly be facced with a 'distressed sale' - some are sitting on property and structures worth 10-20 million baht in many cases. Not sure if there are enough rich Thais to buy them all. Legit companies might see an opportunity to grab several and then turn them into AirBnBs. Still with 47,000 (and counting) it wouldn't be worthwhile to buy more than a handful and the ROI would take years. The price point for middle class Thai purchasers would probably be 5-6 million max (holiday home).

For every rich expat there are thousands of richer Thais.

If you have a 10–20-million-baht property and you can't sell it for 10-20 million baht, then it is not worth 10-20 million baht.

Do not build a B10M custom home on a B1M lot and think it's worth B11M

15 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

For every rich expat there are thousands of richer Thais.

If you have a 10–20-million-baht property and you can't sell it for 10-20 million baht, then it is not worth 10-20 million baht.

Do not build a B10M custom home on a B1M lot and think it's worth B11M

Agree,

So many foreigners think their properties are worth the special 'foreigner' price they paid for them.

3 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

Yes. While the current foreign 'owners' will certainly be facced with a 'distressed sale' - some are sitting on property and structures worth 10-20 million baht in many cases. Not sure if there are enough rich Thais to buy them all. Legit companies might see an opportunity to grab several and then turn them into AirBnBs. Still with 47,000 (and counting) it wouldn't be worthwhile to buy more than a handful and the ROI would take years. The price point for middle class Thai purchasers would probably be 5-6 million max (holiday home).

Good point.

What's also interesting is how authorities distinguish between who will be arrested, charged, sentenced, deported and blacklisted, and who will be arrested, fined, and "allowed" to sell. It may be based on the property value.

Tourism is down in Thailand, so I'm not sure buying an asset to cater for tourists is a good idea. As you say, it may take years to see a ROI, if there's a ROI at all.

There's no good options for the foreigners involved in this.