Retirement dreams on Chiang Mai "Hi-So Hill" shattered as foreigner pensioners conned into buying forestry land

[DavoTheGun]

1 hour ago, Totster said:

A fool and his money are soon parted.

 

It is the buyers responsibility to carry out due diligence.

 

totster :)

I totally agree, but the Problem is, how can you do Due Diligence if most of the lawyers are corrupt as well.

[giddyup]

4 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

....which you can rent and lease

 

4 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

....which you can rent and lease

Who is going to maintain a nice garden in a rented house. It's pretty easy to pick the rentals in our village, weeds a metre high, a general air of neglect, plus I would never own an animal if I was renting, but to each their own.

[The Deerhunter]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

I rent everything in the Land O' Scams.

 

Everything.

 

This sounds like the Phuket scam where the land office, attorneys and real estate agents were all working together to skin the old Farangs alive.

 

 

I used to know an old Dutchman back home who was introduced to me as "The Anarchist."  But  he used to say "Everyone needs to own their car and home, but if it flies, floats or F€$&s, rent it."  Ironically for the last "f" he was happily married with two lovely daughters.  Home and car were a bit different back home from here but you get my drift, you old potential anarchist, you!!

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, mstevens said:

On the contrary, I don't think "everyone" knows that at all.  A lot of foreigners think that it is ok and are tricked by anyone from an insincere partner to lawyers without ethics to some who just about qualify for the description professional scammers.  It's sad that these sorts of scams are so common and it's a blight on Thailand that more is not done to prevent them from happening.  The sums involved are huge and the financial losses are potentially ruinous.

 

Plenty of clever (and immoral / unethical) talkers in LOS working in real estate both farang and Thai.

 

Also plenty of naive potential 'customers' who often come from countries where scamming people is severely punished so these folks expect it's the same everywhere. So sad. 

 

Hoping the developers name etc., is revealed so people know who to totally avoid. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by scorecard

[Nemesis7]

Truly sad how people plays with out people life savings and their dreams . 

Instrad of the faceless or what ever the BS is , hope these people do get proper justice some how . 

[OmarZaid]

2 hours ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

The over riding constant about property ownership in Thailand is that foreigners can't  own land/ houses. Evertbody knows that except young children. If you then go ahead and buy a property in the knowledge you cant legally own land/property you cant really complain when it later goes tits up! Only invest in what you are happy to walk away from. 

Bravo.  Good advice. I have everything here but own nothing except my clothes and laptop. Am quite happy but am also extremely lucky to have met the right lady.

[crossroadschiangmai]

That looks like the place after Doi Tham temple on the left side. When I remember well this project was started by a Dutchman. It used to have a website also but I can not find anymore. Can anybody confirm ?

Edited September 25, 2017 by crossroadschiangmai

[gamini]

1 hour ago, mstevens said:

On the contrary, I don't think "everyone" knows that at all.  A lot of foreigners think that it is ok and are tricked by anyone from an insincere partner to lawyers without ethics to some who just about qualify for the description professional scammers.  It's sad that these sorts of scams are so common and it's a blight on Thailand that more is not done to prevent them from happening.  The sums involved are huge and the financial losses are potentially ruinous.

 

1 hour ago, mstevens said:

On the contrary, I don't think "everyone" knows that at all.  A lot of foreigners think that it is ok and are tricked by anyone from an insincere partner to lawyers without ethics to some who just about qualify for the description professional scammers.  It's sad that these sorts of scams are so common and it's a blight on Thailand that more is not done to prevent them from happening.  The sums involved are huge and the financial losses are potentially ruinous.

Unfortunately it is often Farangs themselves who set up the scams. Retirees trust them because they believe they are more reliable than Thais.

[anon789561]

theres a place near the four seasons being built by an american, he can't get rid of them

[steven100]

Obviously they didn't do their due diligence.

Caveat emptor .... 

Sounds like they were trying a swifty ...

[davidst01]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I rent everything in the Land O' Scams.

 

Everything.

 

This sounds like the Phuket scam where the land office, attorneys and real estate agents were all working together to skin the old Farangs alive.

 

 

Are you too conservative to buy a car? Dont live in a bubble...

[losername]

Yet again the development is only discovered after it has been built, is up, running and occupied.  It is not even far from the road. Like the ones on beaches, surely someone in authority is able to spot the building and stop it.  Now there will be all the fuss, expense and negotiations over whether to demolish or not.  More cost and heartache for the victims.

[tonray]

2 hours ago, hgma said:

names, companies, developers and agents?

Land sale business in their wive's names....ha ha

[sfokevin]

Kudos to the crack detectives at the Forestry Dept for getting on this before it got out of hand!.. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by sfokevin

[Sparkles]

We were offered land near a coffee shop/cafe not far from the CM Night Safari ,was truly a beautifil setting.When I asked about the chanote it was met with "don't have no problem" obviously we walked away from it.The  cafe has been closed by the uthorities and the land  and buildings retaken.Notice from Army on front gate.

[Toshiba66]

4 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Kudos to the crack detectives at the Foerestry Dept for getting on this before it got out of hand!.. 

Are you serious or is this a joke?

[Jasonron]

How can someone believe anything so blindly.. it says they have been "swindled by Thai online"" does that mean they transferred money online??? Didn't they meet anyone before buying property and verify the person documents??? Most of the time greed is the cause of a lot of worries ... anyways sorry for the oldies 

[soalbundy]

It's OK folks the government is cracking down on corruption.

[Sparkles]

We were at a nearby resort having lunch when the helicoptor came in maybe taking this photogragh.

The work had been going on for months, maybe years, but nobody suggested before it got to this stage it was illegal.

Somone had very deep pockets to build this or were on a promise.

 

[johnmcc6]

There is always two sides to a story. My wife has been following this on television as well. It seems only the complainers have been heard from. It could be wise to wait for the end of this unfortunate saga before deciding who did what to who. In the meanwhile .....Caveat Emptor.

[Totster]

1 hour ago, DavoTheGun said:

I totally agree, but the Problem is, how can you do Due Diligence if most of the lawyers are corrupt as well.

 

Hmm, I don't know why I need to spell this out.. but,

 

All of this comes down to due diligence, bring in outside people, check with main government (not local) etc.. common sense really. 

 

totster :)

[anon789561]

those houses are very far from hiso. little houses with a shared pool

[LomSak27]

28 minutes ago, gamini said:

Unfortunately it is often Farangs themselves who set up the scams. Retirees trust them because they believe they are more reliable than Thais.

No, Thais usually set it up and own it themselves, but partner up with a farang or get a Farang as a front man/shiller in their scam. I assume all of the victims did know about ownership "problems" in Thailand. The scam was set up to get them around that. Just another day, you are lucky it's not you. Time to grab a Leo and celebrate.

[Lupatria]

3 hours ago, hgma said:

names, companies, developers and agents?

Do you have a request for a defamation suit? These guys are well connected and would even sell you their grandma's dentures for a reasonable price.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Lupatria

[mauGR1]

Obviously those old guys don't read thaivisa

[off road pat]

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Som Nam Nar !!!!!!!!!

My taughts exactly !!!..Som nam na...

[scubascuba3]

Renting and leasing is the only way to Go in Amazing Thailand. Also I would never consider buying a Condo!.I've been
here 15 years and very happy!

You could have bought it by now reaching the magic 15 years

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

4 hours ago, trogers said:

Foxes got conned?

 

They know they cannot own land in Thailand but tried ways to go around that hurdle. So, who have the last laugh?

My idea of paradise wasn't coming here and continuing my capitalist ways. I don't want to own anything in Thailand and everything I now have,  including my wife and dog,  is for sale (excluding the gold fish. I pity them because non mammals and they are dumb as rocks) 

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

48 minutes ago, Jasonron said:

How can someone believe anything so blindly.. it says they have been "swindled by Thai online"" does that mean they transferred money online??? Didn't they meet anyone before buying property and verify the person documents??? Most of the time greed is the cause of a lot of worries ... anyways sorry for the oldies 

So another campaign:        “Good Thai IN? Bad Thai OUT?"

[sletraveler]

3 hours ago, trogers said:

Then the article misled us. It would be Thais who got conned, not Foreigners!

 

When you gifted away your life savings, the money is not yours anymore.

You spout nonsense!