Leasing land and registering houses in Thailand

[Ian3005]

In 2015 I married a Thai lady and in 2016 I invested a substantial amount of money in purchasing land to eventually build a house and have a small market garden in the adjoining block.

All the land preparation has been done but my Thai wife has decided she wants to leave me and I need to see how I can protect my investments and assets in Thailand.

We have parted on amicable terms and it has been agreed that I will remain in Thailand to take care of our son (Not my biological son) whilst the mother will work overseas.

 

I fully understand that foreigners cannot own land in Thailand but they can hold leases up to 30 years but houses and constructions can be owned and  registered in foreigners names.

 

Where would I need to go to obtain a 30 year lease and register the house in my name?

 

If the land were to be sold I believe the purchase cost and developmental costs to date would not be recouped. A substantial loss would be incurred.

[Peterw42]

You don't go anywhere to obtain a lease. You as the lessee and your wife as the lessor both sign a lease agreement (blank ones are downloadable from the internet) and take it to the land office to be registered on the Chanote.

When you build a house, you get the building permit, you pay the builder etc, then you go again to the land office and register the ownership of the structure.

You are just the owner of the structure, there is no real estate title deed etc, it comes under the Civil and Commercial Code (the same as a Rolex watch or Picasso painting) not land title act etc. 

 

At the end of the day, the lease insures your ongoing access to the property, you may own the structure but it doesn't have any inherent or sellable value unless you can arrange to on on sell the lease and structure at the same time.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Peterw42

[blackcab]

Ask your wife if she will grant you a lease. If she declines to do so then you cannot make her.

[Ian3005]

10 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

You don't go anywhere to obtain a lease. You as the lessee and your wife as the lessor both sign a lease agreement (blank ones are downloadable from the internet) and take it to the land office to be registered on the Chanote.

When you build a house, you get the building permit, you pay the builder etc, then you go again to the land office and register the ownership of the structure.

You are just the owner of the structure, there is no real estate title deed etc, it comes under the Civil and Commercial Code (the same as a Rolex watch or Picasso painting) not land title act etc. 

 

At the end of the day, the lease insures your ongoing access to the property, you may own the structure but it doesn't have any inherent or sellable value unless you can arrange to on on sell the lease and structure at the same time.

Thanks Peterw42. 30 years will do me a I will not be alive then so it won't matter.

I just want to ensure I'm secure while I'm still alive.

The ex wife is money hungry and loves all the brand name clothing and thinks nothing of spending $6,000 on a Louis Vuitton bag.

I believe she walked out as I would not loan her money or buy her a Mercedes Benz AMG or a Porche Cayenne like her friends got for a Christmas present.

I also refused expensive holidays in Switzerland.

I also refuse to have my name appear on any of the leases or loans she made when suggesting she was going to open a business in Sydney.

What is that saying...? "No money no honey".

In my observation and experience with two of them, Thai women are money hungry and get shi**& when you say no to any request.

[BritManToo]

11 hours ago, Ian3005 said:

in 2016 I invested a substantial amount of money in purchasing land to eventually build a house and have a small market garden in the adjoining block.

Oh dear,

If you'd asked earlier we would have all said, "Don't do it"

Now you're completely at her mercy.

[Ian3005]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Oh dear,

If you'd asked earlier we would have all said, "Don't do it"

Now you're completely at her mercy.

Two can play that game. I will ensure she is deported and ruin all her plans.

I was lucky enough to gather intel along the way over 6 years of marriage that could ruin her reputation.

The Thias love juicy gossip. LOL

[BritManToo]

How much did you spend on the land and house in her name?

Just wondering.

[Ian3005]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

How much did you spend on the land and house in her name?

Just wondering.

Just on 2 million THB for land and improvements preparing for building.

[BritManToo]

Just now, Ian3005 said:

Just on 2 million THB for land and improvements preparing for building.

Not so bad then.

[Ian3005]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Not so bad then.

Bad enough. Luckily I couldn't build the 3 million THB house because of covid and Australian immigration issues relating to my wife's PR visa

[ericthai]

 

1 hour ago, Ian3005 said:

Thanks Peterw42. 30 years will do me a I will not be alive then so it won't matter.

I just want to ensure I'm secure while I'm still alive.

The ex wife is money hungry and loves all the brand name clothing and thinks nothing of spending $6,000 on a Louis Vuitton bag.

I believe she walked out as I would not loan her money or buy her a Mercedes Benz AMG or a Porche Cayenne like her friends got for a Christmas present.

I also refused expensive holidays in Switzerland.

I also refuse to have my name appear on any of the leases or loans she made when suggesting she was going to open a business in Sydney.

What is that saying...? "No money no honey".

In my observation and experience with two of them, Thai women are money hungry and get shi**& when you say no to any request.

You should've bought her a matchbox car of a Mercedes and given it to her for Christmas!!! ????

[Ian3005]

Just now, ericthai said:

 

You should've bought her a matchbox car of a Mercedes and given it to her for Christmas!!! ????

 

Just now, ericthai said:

 

You should've bought her a matchbox car of a Mercedes and given it to her for Christmas!!! ????

[Ian3005]

11 hours ago, blackcab said:

Ask your wife if she will grant you a lease. If she declines to do so then you cannot make her.

I will make her life hell. LOL

I have enough dirt on her to ruin her reputation in the community.

[LukKrueng]

1. If you're married you can't get a lease (between husband and wife) 

2. The land office doesn't care what you have on your land. They only register land. Not what's on it.  The only time I heard about separate deeds to the house and to the land is in a developer community. Never seen such deeds, though. 

Depending on your location, you'd have to ask for a building permit. After the house is built,  apply for an address (rural areas), apply for a blue house book (in which you can't be registered unless you are a PR) so you could connect to electricity. None of the documents you get throughout the process indicate ownership of the house, which in any case is useless without ownership of the land. 

[Ian3005]

1 minute ago, LukKrueng said:

1. If you're married you can't get a lease (between husband and wife) 

2. The land office doesn't care what you have on your land. They only register land. Not what's on it.  The only time I heard about separate deeds to the house and to the land is in a developer community. Never seen such deeds, though. 

Depending on your location, you'd have to ask for a building permit. After the house is built,  apply for an address (rural areas), apply for a blue house book (in which you can't be registered unless you are a PR) so you could connect to electricity. None of the documents you get throughout the process indicate ownership of the house, which in any case is useless without ownership of the land. 

Thanks for that insight.

Screwed no matter which way you look at it.

[khunPer]

14 hours ago, Ian3005 said:

I fully understand that foreigners cannot own land in Thailand but they can hold leases up to 30 years but houses and constructions can be owned and  registered in foreigners names.

 

Where would I need to go to obtain a 30 year lease and register the house in my name?

Yes, you can lease from 3 and up to 30 years. To be legal, such an agreement need to be registered as a servitude in the local land office. Such a registration on the back of the title deed protects your lease rights, and your lease will be valid even if the land is sold or transferred to another owner.

 

I presume that the title deed shall be of nor sor 3 or chanote (nor sor 4) title, to be able to do that, check with a lawyer, if the title deed is lower. If nor sor 3 get it upgraded to chanote, i.e. full ownership.

 

When registering a lease, a fee is going to be paid for the full leasing period. If I remember right, and nothing has been changed, it's about 1.1 percent of the total lease sum.

 

Make the lease agreement transferable, including sub-lease, so you have the freedom to sell "your" property, i.e. the remaining lease period's value, or rent-out "your" property.

 

You can read more a lease agreements HERE.

 

To build a construction on leased land, you will need a permission from the owner of the land.

 

It's correct that foreigners can own a house – I'm the owner of my house – but not the land under the house.

 

You need a superficies, or similar, agreement; you can read more about superficies HERE.

 

Very important is,

• that architect drawings are made in your name as owner
• that building permission is issued in your name
• that any construction contract are agreed be between you and the builder(s), and signed by you
• that all payments to building constructor(s), preferably money transfers, comes directly from you, preferably transfer from your bank account to the constructor's bank account (keep receipts and/or bank statements)
• that all bills, invoices and other documents carry your name as buyer

-as the above documentation is your (only) proof of ownership.

 

If you sell your house, it's separated from the land, and the next owner can (to my knowledge) be registered as owner.

 

When your construction is 80 percent, or more, complete, you can have a blue house book for the house, which includes an official house number (address). You can be registered as "master of the house" ( "house master"), and you will then be the only person that can accept any name to be included in the blue house book as residents in the house.

 

Your own name cannot be in a blue house book – it's only for Thai citizens and persons that have been granted permanent residency – but you can apply for a yellow house book for aliens, which will work nicely as proof of address, and permission to apply for a pink ID-card for foreigners. Furthermore, the yellow house book is proof of that you live in the house, and therefore that you shall not pay property tax of the first 10 million baht of the house's value, as it's used for primary residence (new present land tax-rules).

 

The house book is however not a legal proof of ownership.

 

My lawyer always said that to protect one's investment in property, one can have a loan, which equals the investment, declared as servitude on the land's title deed. In that way the land cannot be sold, or transferred to another person, without the loan, and eventually interest, is fully paid. You should check that possibility with your lawyer.

????

 

Edit/PS: Be aware on the risk of contracts between husband and wife can be declared void.

Edited April 30, 2021 by khunPer

[baansgr]

On 4/30/2021 at 9:58 PM, Ian3005 said:

I will make her life hell. LOL

I have enough dirt on her to ruin her reputation in the community.

You lost my sympathy vote now but understand your feelings....sure she will grant you a lease for a price, that's if the land isn't already sold or hoked up to the limit

[Ian3005]

On 5/1/2021 at 1:59 AM, khunPer said:

Yes, you can lease from 3 and up to 30 years. To be legal, such an agreement need to be registered as a servitude in the local land office. Such a registration on the back of the title deed protects your lease rights, and your lease will be valid even if the land is sold or transferred to another owner.

 

I presume that the title deed shall be of nor sor 3 or chanote (nor sor 4) title, to be able to do that, check with a lawyer, if the title deed is lower. If nor sor 3 get it upgraded to chanote, i.e. full ownership.

 

When registering a lease, a fee is going to be paid for the full leasing period. If I remember right, and nothing has been changed, it's about 1.1 percent of the total lease sum.

 

Make the lease agreement transferable, including sub-lease, so you have the freedom to sell "your" property, i.e. the remaining lease period's value, or rent-out "your" property.

 

You can read more a lease agreements HERE.

 

To build a construction on leased land, you will need a permission from the owner of the land.

 

It's correct that foreigners can own a house – I'm the owner of my house – but not the land under the house.

 

You need a superficies, or similar, agreement; you can read more about superficies HERE.

 

Very important is,

• that architect drawings are made in your name as owner
• that building permission is issued in your name
• that any construction contract are agreed be between you and the builder(s), and signed by you
• that all payments to building constructor(s), preferably money transfers, comes directly from you, preferably transfer from your bank account to the constructor's bank account (keep receipts and/or bank statements)
• that all bills, invoices and other documents carry your name as buyer

-as the above documentation is your (only) proof of ownership.

 

If you sell your house, it's separated from the land, and the next owner can (to my knowledge) be registered as owner.

 

When your construction is 80 percent, or more, complete, you can have a blue house book for the house, which includes an official house number (address). You can be registered as "master of the house" ( "house master"), and you will then be the only person that can accept any name to be included in the blue house book as residents in the house.

 

Your own name cannot be in a blue house book – it's only for Thai citizens and persons that have been granted permanent residency – but you can apply for a yellow house book for aliens, which will work nicely as proof of address, and permission to apply for a pink ID-card for foreigners. Furthermore, the yellow house book is proof of that you live in the house, and therefore that you shall not pay property tax of the first 10 million baht of the house's value, as it's used for primary residence (new present land tax-rules).

 

The house book is however not a legal proof of ownership.

 

My lawyer always said that to protect one's investment in property, one can have a loan, which equals the investment, declared as servitude on the land's title deed. In that way the land cannot be sold, or transferred to another person, without the loan, and eventually interest, is fully paid. You should check that possibility with your lawyer.

????

 

Edit/PS: Be aware on the risk of contracts between husband and wife can be declared void.

 

On 5/1/2021 at 1:59 AM, khunPer said:

Yes, you can lease from 3 and up to 30 years. To be legal, such an agreement need to be registered as a servitude in the local land office. Such a registration on the back of the title deed protects your lease rights, and your lease will be valid even if the land is sold or transferred to another owner.

 

I presume that the title deed shall be of nor sor 3 or chanote (nor sor 4) title, to be able to do that, check with a lawyer, if the title deed is lower. If nor sor 3 get it upgraded to chanote, i.e. full ownership.

 

When registering a lease, a fee is going to be paid for the full leasing period. If I remember right, and nothing has been changed, it's about 1.1 percent of the total lease sum.

 

Make the lease agreement transferable, including sub-lease, so you have the freedom to sell "your" property, i.e. the remaining lease period's value, or rent-out "your" property.

 

You can read more a lease agreements HERE.

 

To build a construction on leased land, you will need a permission from the owner of the land.

 

It's correct that foreigners can own a house – I'm the owner of my house – but not the land under the house.

 

You need a superficies, or similar, agreement; you can read more about superficies HERE.

 

Very important is,

• that architect drawings are made in your name as owner
• that building permission is issued in your name
• that any construction contract are agreed be between you and the builder(s), and signed by you
• that all payments to building constructor(s), preferably money transfers, comes directly from you, preferably transfer from your bank account to the constructor's bank account (keep receipts and/or bank statements)
• that all bills, invoices and other documents carry your name as buyer

-as the above documentation is your (only) proof of ownership.

 

If you sell your house, it's separated from the land, and the next owner can (to my knowledge) be registered as owner.

 

When your construction is 80 percent, or more, complete, you can have a blue house book for the house, which includes an official house number (address). You can be registered as "master of the house" ( "house master"), and you will then be the only person that can accept any name to be included in the blue house book as residents in the house.

 

Your own name cannot be in a blue house book – it's only for Thai citizens and persons that have been granted permanent residency – but you can apply for a yellow house book for aliens, which will work nicely as proof of address, and permission to apply for a pink ID-card for foreigners. Furthermore, the yellow house book is proof of that you live in the house, and therefore that you shall not pay property tax of the first 10 million baht of the house's value, as it's used for primary residence (new present land tax-rules).

 

The house book is however not a legal proof of ownership.

 

My lawyer always said that to protect one's investment in property, one can have a loan, which equals the investment, declared as servitude on the land's title deed. In that way the land cannot be sold, or transferred to another person, without the loan, and eventually interest, is fully paid. You should check that possibility with your lawyer.

????

 

Edit/PS: Be aware on the risk of contracts between husband and wife can be declared void.

KhunPer

Many thanks for that valuable information.

Most appreciated.

 

I believe that a person 15 years or older can own land.

It has been suggested that the legal owner of the land can bequeath the land to a minor who will tale possession once the age of 15 is reached.

Everything I have done in Thailand is for the son who is now 9 years old.

If there is some guarantee that he can take possession of the land at 15 then I will be satisfied and proceed.

Otherwise I will see the developed land and take a loss.

 

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, Ian3005 said:

 

KhunPer

Many thanks for that valuable information.

Most appreciated.

 

I believe that a person 15 years or older can own land.

It has been suggested that the legal owner of the land can bequeath the land to a minor who will tale possession once the age of 15 is reached.

Everything I have done in Thailand is for the son who is now 9 years old.

If there is some guarantee that he can take possession of the land at 15 then I will be satisfied and proceed.

Otherwise I will see the developed land and take a loss.

A minor can own land, but it will be extremely difficult for the guardian(s) to do anything with the land, as long as it's owned by a minor. All registered agreements, i.e. servitudes, normally need to be in place before the land is transferred to a minor, otherwise a court order is needed, which can be difficult to obtain. In Thailand a child/person is minor until the age of 20 years.

 

A 15 years old person can open a bank account, have an ATM-card, and can partially consent, but cannot control land or property trading, including securities.

[Ian3005]

On 5/3/2021 at 7:40 PM, khunPer said:

A minor can own land, but it will be extremely difficult for the guardian(s) to do anything with the land, as long as it's owned by a minor. All registered agreements, i.e. servitudes, normally need to be in place before the land is transferred to a minor, otherwise a court order is needed, which can be difficult to obtain. In Thailand a child/person is minor until the age of 20 years.

 

A 15 years old person can open a bank account, have an ATM-card, and can partially consent, but cannot control land or property trading, including securities.

Again. Thank you for straight answers.

I'm indebted to you.

Are you a lawyer?

Where are you located?

 

[Ian3005]

Just now, Ian3005 said:

Again. Thank you for straight answers.

I'm indebted to you.

Are you a lawyer?

Where are you located?

 

It has always been my intention to develop the land and build a house so the son has fixed roots and always knows he has somewhere to go and live.

I have to prevent the mother from squandering the chances for the son.

[khunPer]

2 hours ago, Ian3005 said:

2 hours ago, Ian3005 said:

Again. Thank you for straight answers.

I'm indebted to you.

Are you a lawyer?

Where are you located?

 

It has always been my intention to develop the land and build a house so the son has fixed roots and always knows he has somewhere to go and live.

I have to prevent the mother from squandering the chances for the son.

Thanks.

No I'm not a lawyer, I just try to be informed about areas important to me and my family (Thai girlfriend and our daughter), I live on Koh Samui.

 

There are various advises about protecting one's investments in Thailand, which should be chosen to suit various individual needs.

 

My lawyer in Thailand told me, that register a loan-servitude by the land office makes it impossible to transfer land without the loan, and eventual interest, is fully paid; for example the buying value of the land plus whatever invested in buildings. But that would be impossible with land owned by a minor, as a loan servitude declared before transfer to a minor, probably would not be valid during a transfer, and difficult, if not impossible, to register after a land transfer to a minor. You could check with you lawyer about that possibility, or perhaps your lawyer knows about a better way of protection.

A last will is always advisable, and can in some cases be very important. For foreigners that often means two last wills, one for assets in the foreigner's home country, following the law and rules there, and another last will for assets in Thailand, following law and rules here. There is a present no inheritance tax in Thailand.

 

Before transferring land to a minor you should have all necessary servitudes registered. You can also look at "right of habitation", which gives a person the right to live in a property without paying any fees...

Quote

The grantee of the right of habitation does not pay rent to the grantor. If there is rental payment made, the matter becomes a tenancy. A right of habitation may be created for either a specific period of time or for the lifetime of the grantee. In case the rights are granted for a specific time period, the law states that such a period may not exceed 30 years; if a longer period is fixed, it shall be enforceable for only 30 years. The grant may be renewed for a period not exceeding 30 years from the time of renewal. Lastly, the right of habitation is not transferable by way of inheritance.

Source link and read more HERE.

????

[Ian3005]

On 5/5/2021 at 3:18 PM, khunPer said:

Thanks.

No I'm not a lawyer, I just try to be informed about areas important to me and my family (Thai girlfriend and our daughter), I live on Koh Samui.

 

There are various advises about protecting one's investments in Thailand, which should be chosen to suit various individual needs.

 

My lawyer in Thailand told me, that register a loan-servitude by the land office makes it impossible to transfer land without the loan, and eventual interest, is fully paid; for example the buying value of the land plus whatever invested in buildings. But that would be impossible with land owned by a minor, as a loan servitude declared before transfer to a minor, probably would not be valid during a transfer, and difficult, if not impossible, to register after a land transfer to a minor. You could check with you lawyer about that possibility, or perhaps your lawyer knows about a better way of protection.

A last will is always advisable, and can in some cases be very important. For foreigners that often means two last wills, one for assets in the foreigner's home country, following the law and rules there, and another last will for assets in Thailand, following law and rules here. There is a present no inheritance tax in Thailand.

 

Before transferring land to a minor you should have all necessary servitudes registered. You can also look at "right of habitation", which gives a person the right to live in a property without paying any fees...

Source link and read more HERE.

????

The land I paid for is fully paid for.

The Title teed is Chanote or Nor Sor 4. It has been surveyed and the survey posts located.

That was fortunate as there has already been a dispute with a neighbor at the rear of the property.

 

The land is in my ex- Thai wifes name and it is the 30 year lease that want from her before I consider building.

Everything I do is for the son so I have no resistance at present.

The son is only 9 years old so I will have to wait till he turns 18 so I can have the land and house transferred to his name.

In the mean time I just want to protect my assets and investment in the land and development.

 

Again I must thank you for your informative Reponses. Most appreciated.

When it comes to money I trust no one as I have been in business most of my life.

The announcement of my wifes departure was premature as no building development had started. Hence the search for means of protecting my investments.

 

 

[Ian3005]

On 5/6/2021 at 5:19 PM, Ian3005 said:

The land I paid for is fully paid for.

The Title teed is Chanote or Nor Sor 4. It has been surveyed and the survey posts located.

That was fortunate as there has already been a dispute with a neighbor at the rear of the property.

 

The land is in my ex- Thai wifes name and it is the 30 year lease that want from her before I consider building.

Everything I do is for the son so I have no resistance at present.

The son is only 9 years old so I will have to wait till he turns 18 so I can have the land and house transferred to his name.

In the mean time I just want to protect my assets and investment in the land and development.

 

Again I must thank you for your informative Reponses. Most appreciated.

When it comes to money I trust no one as I have been in business most of my life.

The announcement of my wifes departure was premature as no building development had started. Hence the search for means of protecting my investments.

 

 

 

[Ian3005]

Just now, Ian3005 said:

 

My ex wife is now getting worried that I'm on top of things and how the system works in Thailand, especially when I raise the subject of lawyers. LOL. 

Keep them guessing and say nothing.

 

[Ian3005]

On 5/5/2021 at 3:18 PM, khunPer said:

Thanks.

No I'm not a lawyer, I just try to be informed about areas important to me and my family (Thai girlfriend and our daughter), I live on Koh Samui.

 

There are various advises about protecting one's investments in Thailand, which should be chosen to suit various individual needs.

 

My lawyer in Thailand told me, that register a loan-servitude by the land office makes it impossible to transfer land without the loan, and eventual interest, is fully paid; for example the buying value of the land plus whatever invested in buildings. But that would be impossible with land owned by a minor, as a loan servitude declared before transfer to a minor, probably would not be valid during a transfer, and difficult, if not impossible, to register after a land transfer to a minor. You could check with you lawyer about that possibility, or perhaps your lawyer knows about a better way of protection.

A last will is always advisable, and can in some cases be very important. For foreigners that often means two last wills, one for assets in the foreigner's home country, following the law and rules there, and another last will for assets in Thailand, following law and rules here. There is a present no inheritance tax in Thailand.

 

Before transferring land to a minor you should have all necessary servitudes registered. You can also look at "right of habitation", which gives a person the right to live in a property without paying any fees...

Source link and read more HERE.

????

I may not have answered your question about my age. 73 years old.

[Ian3005]

On 5/5/2021 at 3:18 PM, khunPer said:

Thanks.

No I'm not a lawyer, I just try to be informed about areas important to me and my family (Thai girlfriend and our daughter), I live on Koh Samui.

 

There are various advises about protecting one's investments in Thailand, which should be chosen to suit various individual needs.

 

My lawyer in Thailand told me, that register a loan-servitude by the land office makes it impossible to transfer land without the loan, and eventual interest, is fully paid; for example the buying value of the land plus whatever invested in buildings. But that would be impossible with land owned by a minor, as a loan servitude declared before transfer to a minor, probably would not be valid during a transfer, and difficult, if not impossible, to register after a land transfer to a minor. You could check with you lawyer about that possibility, or perhaps your lawyer knows about a better way of protection.

A last will is always advisable, and can in some cases be very important. For foreigners that often means two last wills, one for assets in the foreigner's home country, following the law and rules there, and another last will for assets in Thailand, following law and rules here. There is a present no inheritance tax in Thailand.

 

Before transferring land to a minor you should have all necessary servitudes registered. You can also look at "right of habitation", which gives a person the right to live in a property without paying any fees...

Source link and read more HERE.

????

Now I'm onto the subject of what is entailed in building a house in Thailand.

One has to be very aware and vigilant based on what I read.

One has to be on site and have some idea how they operate in Thailand.

I will not be building the traditional Thai house.

There appear to be Thai builders that are adopting Western designs.

I move from building site to building site in Sydney talking to builders and watchin what happens in the process to familiarize myself.

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, Ian3005 said:

Now I'm onto the subject of what is entailed in building a house in Thailand.

One has to be very aware and vigilant based on what I read.

One has to be on site and have some idea how they operate in Thailand.

I will not be building the traditional Thai house.

There appear to be Thai builders that are adopting Western designs.

I move from building site to building site in Sydney talking to builders and watchin what happens in the process to familiarize myself.

I originate from Scandinavia where we build house very different from the normal Thai-way-of-building-a-house; however, the old viking-style house and later development into half-timbering farm house buildings is quite similar to the Thai-style, where they are using cement posts and cement beams instead of wood. Before I moved to Thailand I've been living for three decades in 200-year old half-timbering farm houses, but the newer sections of my last Danish property was built the "normal" way using bricks and self-supporting walls.

 

When I designed my house in Thailand – I did all the detailed drawings by pencil myself, but had an architect firm to plot them into a computer program and print them properly for a building permission – I decided to use the Thai building method, i.e. posts and beams, as this would be what the workers, and the foreman that is the most important part of a building construction team, were familiar with; it might be extremely difficult to be the "know all farang" teaching Thais how to build a house in Thailand.

 

However, I did incorporate some of the best inventions from Scandinavia, such as aerated concrete bloks for walls, which gives you a perfect heat insulation and actually, aerated concrete bloks are strong enough for self-supporting walls, many Danish houses are build from them only and has so far survived in fine condition ever since the Swedish invention of aerated concrete took of and became extremely popular more than 60 years ago. Another part was to use galvanized steel for roof construction. Both aerated concrete and galvanized steel were new on the Thai market when i began my building construction 12 years ago, and so was the tile cutter, which I bought a couple of, so the tile workers didn't need to use the Thai-standard all round tool "angle grinder", resulting in perfect straight tile cuts, saving a lot of time, and also reducing dust levels.

 

My point is to say that you shall be careful introducing other building methods than the ones that the building construction team is used to, rather co-operate and use the new materials already known and available, but little more expensive, aerated concrete for example costs 4-6 times more than the cheapest blocks, but you save it many fold back in better indoor climate and less aircon use.

 

The best preparation when overlooking a Thai house construction is in my opinion to buy and read the book "How to Buy Land and Build a House in Thailand" by Philip Bryce, Paiboon Publishing, ISBN 1-887521-71-2. You can read more HERE.

 

There are several threads here in Thaivisa Forum about building construction with many photos, one showed how he finished outer walls with burned bricks, just like you are used to in Northern European and old British building style, but the house was constructed with posts and beams, and inner wall made from aerated concrete, just like in a Scandinavian house, really a great construction he did.

 

I designed a Scandinavian Italian-style house with Thai-style roof (which is quite similar to ancient Viking-style roof), built it all with the Thai-way-of-building-construction, using the above mentioned improvements plus some places also using traditional burned bricks and the European construction style (I had to show and teach the workers myself, I succeded, the were impressed and continued to use the method) that is normally not much used in Thailand; I believe I ended up with nice fusion of Thai and Western-style, and most important, the local villagers say it's a nice house, so I'm accepted in their community...

 

 

[Ian3005]

Great advice again. Thank you.

 

I have looked at several builders and when I see Western influence on the design and style I look at who the owners/directors are in I find Norwegian or Danish people in the mix.

 

The Thai style of building is dodgy to me and expensive for what you get.

The ratios are all incorrect and those concrete pillars they use drive me nuts.

 

I had plans drawn up in Thailand for a 6 bedroom home based on a western design.

The building estimates I got was in the region of 6-7 million THB. Way above my budget.

 

I now look at Thai plans that are close to western design.

The average price I can get is 11,500Thb per square meter, The most expensive was 16,500Thb. The lowest 9,500thb but I question the material grade at that price.

 

The Thais are big on the look from the outside whereas I look at functionality on the interior.

I will be looking at ways of reducing costs.

 

I have been watching constructions in Sydney Australia and talking to tradesmen and builders on methodology.

You mention Aerated concrete blocks.

The latest building that went up in my street was completed in 3 months - 10 bedrooms 6 bathrooms etc (Duplex housing) using Aerated Autoclaved Concrete slabs.

I'm waiting to get inside to look at the quality of workmanship.

A similar building went up in the next street and that has taken 8 months longer and still not completed using traditional methods.

 

Any links you have on the grade of building materials in Thailand would be appreciated.

I believe there are 4 grades A,B,C,D.

I was shocked at the price of electrical fittings, switches and GPO's (General Power outlets).

 

I watched a Thai friends house built in Thailand and for what they got for 2 million thb I believe they were taken for a ride.

 

As usual... great to chat.