Land Prices

[xerostar]

I'm married to a Thai lady and we are looking for about 100 Rai or more.

We want to buy land that's already being used to grow sugar cane or cassava.

Is timber growing profitable? I'm not sure what they call those fast-growing tall trees.

Our favoured area is about 80 Km west of Nakhon Sawan City.

Can anyone give me some general idea of what we should pay for land.

A few tips on buying farmland in Thailand would be much appreciated.

[Khonwan]

I'm married to a Thai lady and we are looking for about 100 Rai or more.

We want to buy land that's already being used to grow sugar cane or cassava.

Is timber growing profitable? I'm not sure what they call those fast-growing tall trees.

Our favoured area is about 80 Km west of Nakhon Sawan City.

Can anyone give me some general idea of what we should pay for land.

A few tips on buying farmland in Thailand would be much appreciated.

From Bt4,000 to Bt1++,+++ per rai. Near a town, or not? Next to a road, or not? With a water source, or not? With an electricity supply, or not? If with electricity, low voltage (220V) or only high voltage? Low-lying land (such as rice paddy) or high land? What type of land title, if any?

Send a Thai person that you trust to go out to view potential land and negotiate prices (without commitment). Have them chat (over lunch, beers, whatever) with some local shopkeepers to get a better idea of the going prices for nearby land. Instruct this person not to mention that he/she is enquiring on behalf of a farang. DO NOT visit the land yourself until you know what price the seller will accept.

If the land, price, area, etc are all acceptable to you, visit the local Poo Yai (village headman; take a few beers with you) and check that the person who is selling the land is entitled to do so (there may be no "chanoot" - full clear title) and that there are no current conflicts (re. debts, rental agreements, etc) "attached" to the land that could affect your enjoyment of it after purchase. Verify land boundaries - ask the adjoining neighbours to confirm these.

The nature of the contract will depend on the type of land ownership - and there are many! I (and others) should be able to help you understand once you identify the type of title.

Land that is suitable for cassava may not be suitable for sugar cane. Sugar cane needs a lot of water but cassava grows well on higher ground and would rot in constantly wet soil. The tall trees you refer to in order of likelihood IMO: eucalyptus, teak, rubber.

Where are you looking? Chum Ta Bong, Mae Wong? I'm in Mae Wong.

[RamdomChances]

f the land, price, area, etc are all acceptable to you, visit the local Poo Yai (village headman; take a few beers with you) and check that the person who is selling the land is entitled to do so (there may be no "chanoot" - full clear title) and that there are no current conflicts (re. debts, rental agreements, etc) "attached" to the land that could affect your enjoyment of it after purchase. Verify land boundaries - ask the adjoining neighbours to confirm these.

The local land office (Tee Din) should be the place for most of that, but no harm in chatting to the Pu Yai as well

[xerostar]

Hi Khonwan

Thanks for those valuable tips. Just as well I made the post, otherwise it appears I could have fallen into a mine field!

My wife's family live in Lai pak nam po (not far from Sanssaokhaithor) so we will be looking in that general area. She knows Mae Wong. We heard of a 101 Rai high block near a school. The asking price is 20,000 Baht per Rai. (my wife said "pang!")

It would probably have electricity and scheme water being near a school.

That would make it handy if we want to eventually build a house too.

It is owned by someone in Bangkok. I don't know what sort of title it has but we will check that out. I don't want any ownership myself, but I'd like to see my wife and her family take full ownership, not just some sort of lease. I want them to become self sufficient and have a reasonable future with work for my two brothers-in-law. My wife seems to think that land with a chanoot is much more expensive?

[Khonwan]

f the land, price, area, etc are all acceptable to you, visit the local Poo Yai (village headman; take a few beers with you) and check that the person who is selling the land is entitled to do so (there may be no "chanoot" - full clear title) and that there are no current conflicts (re. debts, rental agreements, etc) "attached" to the land that could affect your enjoyment of it after purchase. Verify land boundaries - ask the adjoining neighbours to confirm these.

The local land office (Tee Din) should be the place for most of that, but no harm in chatting to the Pu Yai as well

Hi RC

As you can see from my post above - something happened in cyberspace and my message was lost. Glad to say it was not a lengthy reply, so here it is again:

If the land is not chanoot (at least, if it is only Sor Por Kor, or pre-SorPorKor [can't recall various names]), it will not be registered at the Kom Tee Din. I have 195 rai - none of it is so registered. To the best of my knowledge, there are only two small parcels of land within the entire district of Mae Wong that does have chanoot (both owned by rich influential Thais).

Cheers

Khonwan

PS Thanks for a great weekend!

[Khonwan]

Hi xerostar.

I know Paknampo but can't recall having heard of Lai paknampo or Sanssaokhaithor - must ask my wife. Bt20,000 sounds expensive to me too IF it is out in the sticks. But, chanoot would almost certainly be much more expensive. As I said, ask near the school what sort of price other similar land has fetched.

Our local school is located in our village. Our village DOES NOT have any piped water. Check! Check whether you are close enough to be connected to the 220V supply (I too presume the school will have electricity). I presume it has an access road - check.

Don't worry too much about it not having chanoot - you'll still own it and, may be granted chanoot in the future (at the government's pleasure). Let me know EXACTLY what kind of title it has and I'll try to help you understand its limitations. It will not be leasehold land (in all probability).

[RamdomChances]

Hi RC

As you can see from my post above - something happened in cyberspace and my message was lost. Glad to say it was not a lengthy reply, so here it is again:

Yea I was going to delete it , but did'nt know wether you'd seen it or not. I't gone now.

Yes your right some of the title deeds won't be on record with the land ofice, I'm not sure which ones I don't think it's just chanot's mabye Nor Sor Sam's as well.

Oh I edited your and xerostars "multi quotes" out as they were getting a bit lenghty

[xerostar]

We've found a 101 Rai (no power or scheme water) that's going for 11,000 baht per Rai. 30 Rai under trees and 81 Rai under Cassava. Apparently not many people live nearby so it's a bit out in the sticks.

The area is called Tat-agho. Near Moo Bahn. (nice name!) I believe power is about 1 Km away from the site.

Another block of 10 Rai close to my wife's family with power and water going for 20,000 Baht per Rai. There are a dozen or so houses along the gravel road leading to this block which is about 1 Km off the main bitumen road.

The titles are sor por kohr.

Tambon Sanssaokhaithor is pronounced by the locals as "Sunjeow!" which is on the main road about 20 Km west of Lat Yao.

Perhaps you know of a house that was under construction just east of Sunjeow on that main road.

I was told that it belonged to an Aussie.

It was going to be a very nice 2 story house about 100 metres off the main road. However over the past year all work has stopped and the local bird life have taken up residence. I would imagine it would be knee deep in bird droppings by now.

It would be interesting to know what has happened to the owner.

Also does anybody have the public address sytem (loudspeakers on the power poles outside their home?). It was a strange feeling getting woken every morning at 6am by quaint old music and local news read by an amateur.

Very loud (deafening actually, like most Thai PA systems!) and no volume knob to speak of.

Almost reminds me of old Communist China ideas, but I guess it's great for those who don't own a radio or TV.

[Khonwan]

"We've found a 101 Rai (no power or scheme water) that's going for 11,000 baht per Rai. 30 Rai under trees and 81 Rai under Cassava. Apparently not many people live nearby so it's a bit out in the sticks.

The area is called Tat-agho. Near Moo Bahn. (nice name!) I believe power is about 1 Km away from the site. "

Tha Tako ca. 45km drive east of Nakhon Sawan? "Moo Bahn": Thai for "village". Price sounds reasonable...cheap, in fact, considering the trees; I don't suppose the cassava, if mature, is included in the price. Power is going to be expensive to very expensive (if required).

"Another block of 10 Rai close to my wife's family with power and water going for 20,000 Baht per Rai. There are a dozen or so houses along the gravel road leading to this block which is about 1 Km off the main bitumen road.

The titles are sor por kohr.

Tambon Sanssaokhaithor is pronounced by the locals as "Sunjeow!" which is on the main road about 20 Km west of Lat Yao."

I'm around 40km after "Sunjeow". If I understand you correctly, this 10 rai is located here and is also 1km from the main road. Bt20,000 sounds right to me, with water and power.

I assume all 111 rai (121?), i.e both parcels, are Sor Por Kor. Thais (only) aged 20 (21?) may own up to 50 rai of Sor Por Kor. You will therefore have to put the land into the names of two others in addition to your wife. The land must be used for agricultural purposes (you cannot develop a golf course on it, for example). At some point in the future, it will probably be converted into full chanoot...maybe. Sor Por Kor cannot be sold! Unless "sold" within the "family" (the abuse of the definition of "family" allows the sale to non-family in reality). Since it "cannot" be sold, it cannot be used as surety for a loan...except via BAAC. The transfer will have to be registered at the Sor Por Kor office in Nakhon Sawan (best if you - as a non-Thai - do not go there in person since Sor Por Kor land was originally issued to poor landless Thais).

"Perhaps you know of a house that was under construction just east of Sunjeow on that main road.

I was told that it belonged to an Aussie.

It was going to be a very nice 2 story house about 100 metres off the main road. However over the past year all work has stopped and the local bird life have taken up residence. I would imagine it would be knee deep in bird droppings by now.

It would be interesting to know what has happened to the owner."

I know the house you are referring to (with ponds around it) but didn't know that it was being built by a farang (my wife just told me she knew). Don't know anything about him though.

"Also does anybody have the public address system (loudspeakers on the power poles outside their home?). It was a strange feeling getting woken every morning at 6am by quaint old music and local news read by an amateur.

Very loud (deafening actually, like most Thai PA systems!) and no volume knob to speak of.

Almost reminds me of old Communist China ideas, but I guess it's great for those who don't own a radio or TV."

I'm happy to report that I'm 2km away from my village and the PA system!

[bubbaba]

Yes we have one, two in fact, on the pole on the corner about 40 meters from our bedroom. Very loud with no volume switch, but the music is nice. Saves money - you don't need to buy an alarm clock or a morning newspaper. You can also practice your Thai listening skills. Love it he he he he he he he

TNT anyone?