Condo Ownership

[desertcam]

All,

Just a quick query that maybe someone can clear up for me.

At the moment I own a Condo in Thailand and have had this unit for over 2 years, the condo is in my name and under foreign ownership.

I do intend to get married this year to a Thai national……think everyone knows what’s coming. If things were to go sour with my girlfriend/wife would I stand to loose the condo? Or even by marriage does it entitle her to a 50% share already?

Some people may look down on me for asking a question like this, but this is a worst case scenario picture here. And best to go into a situation first, full briefed and knowing the consequences.

Cheers,

Desertcam

[thaigene2]

Perfectly reasonable question. Ask a lawyer. I asked once before about having my name and my wife's name jointly on the title. The lawyer told me under Thai law, becuase I am an "alien" they would consider it 100% mine regardless.

IMHO, I think a prenup is the best way. What you had before is yours and what was gained from the moment the clock starts ticking is common property.

[hughden]

My understanding is that, under Thai law, anything owned by you prior to marriage remains yours in the event of divorce. Assets acquired after marriage are shared 50/50.

When I got married (to a Thai lady), the registrar at the town hall asked us if we had any assets and my condo was recorded in my name, and a property owned by my wife was recorded in her name. Presumably this record is referred to in the event of divorce. I was quite impressed that there is a pre-nup built into the marriage registration process!

[desertcam]

Thanks for the informative response guys. Think I will have a quick chat with a lawyer but….

Hughden- I would be happy to walk out of a relationship with what I started with, and from the day the clock starts ticking as you put it, then split 50/50, seems fair enough to me.

My girlfriend has a place up country which has been built and financed by me, I have never wanted anything from that, and it is registered entirely in her name. So with marriage registration, it would be great if I could have some pre-nup built in the way you did!

Cheers again,

Desertcam.

[hughden]

I didn't actually plan any form of pre-nup, it just seemed to come as a Thai marriage registration standard, courtesy of the city hall clerk!

Another nice touch: we went to city hall the day before we had the traditional ceremony, to hand in the papers. And then on the day of our traditional marriage, the clerk from city hall came to my wife's family house and signed the certificate in front of everyone. Gave him some food and some baht in an envelope and everyone was very happy! It was fun to have both ceremonies at the same time in the same place.

[desertcam]

Right....sounds good, what I did have planned was to get all the paperwork in order when I return to Thailand in March i.e. all of the running around at the Embassy with the affirmation to marry. Then in June after the ceremony return to Bkk, to the registrar with all the paperwork pre-prepared. But now listening to the way your big day worked out, I will look into registering the marriage 'up counrty' in the same manner.

Cheers,

Desertcam.