Thai Citizen: Two Chanotes / One House Book Question

[digibum]

Not sure if this is the correct forum.  Please feel free to move if not.  

 

My wife and I are buying a freehold property in Phuket and the house will go in her name.  

 

She has her blue house book from her home up in her hometown.  

 

It’s our understanding that she can only have one house book but she can own as many chanote properties as she wants because the house book is supposed to be tied to your actual residence.   

 

We’re trying to figure out the best way to do this.  

 

She would like to keep her hometown house book (family issues) which would mean that there would be no house book for the Phuket property issued to her.  

 

How would this work when I file my change of address with immigration?   Usually they want to see the house book of the owner of the property.  Will they accept my wife’s house book from her house in her hometown?  

 

Also, if I want to eventually get a yellow book for the house, how would that work as most of the guides that I have seen say that the blue book of the owner of the property is necessary.  

[blackcab]

52 minutes ago, digibum said:

It’s our understanding that she can only have one house book...

 

Your wife can physically possess many house books, but she can only be listed in one book at a time.

 

The unused house book will have the property details on the first page, but otherwise be empty.

 

Regarding you residing at one property while your wife technically resides at the other, immigration will accept the house book of the owner, and then the house book of where you are living (which could be two different books), along with a rent contact or a permission letter from your wife or a copy of the title deed with your wife's name on it).

 

Each immigration office will vary slightly, but they are well used to dealing with this scenario as many landlords own multiple properties.

 

Also, you can get a yellow book even if the blue book has nobody listed in it. Your wife will have to prove she is the owner of the property by showing the sale contract and/or title deed issued by the land office, then she can permit you to be registered in the yellow book.

[digibum]

5 minutes ago, blackcab said:

Regarding you residing at one property while your wife technically resides at the other,

Sorry if that was confusing.  My wife will be with me in Phuket.   
 

I just meant that because her family always has various issues that she assists with, her preference is to stay on that house book because it’s a small town and being a local helps.  
 

I went through the paperwork for several of my previous rentals and the landlord was always registered in the house book for the property so I had never seen a blank house book or where my landlord had a house book from a different property.  

 

Your answer clears things up a bit.  Thanks. 

[blackcab]

3 hours ago, digibum said:

...I had never seen a blank house book or where my landlord had a house book from a different property.

 

The book isn't completely blank. The first page has the property details entered.

 

Also, if a previous registrant has transferred out of the blue book, their name remains printed in the book, as expired pages are not torn out. The District Office normally has a red ink stamp they stamp the old registrant's page with to show they have been removed from the book.

 

After a price has been agreed, ask for a photo of the blue book pages to see who is registered (if anyone). Your agreement with the seller should include that all registrants are transferred out of the blue book the same day as the sale is completed.

 

This normally means that the sale is completed and then everyone concerned drives directly to the District Office to empty out the blue book. Sometimes there will be nobody registered in the blue book so this isn't necessary. Other times the registrant(s) may transfer out a day or two before (which saves your time).

 

There must, however, be a blue book handed over at the time of the sale. If there is no blue book, ask the current owner to go to the District Office and get a replacement before the sale. Replacements cost 20 baht and are straightforward for the owner to replace. Otherwise you will have to go through the hassle of getting a police report and getting the book replaced yourself.

 

Importantly, if the previous house master is still listed when you try and apply for a replacement blue book you could be in a situation where you are not entitled to obtain a replacement blue book for a property you own. Instead you would have to go through a process where the District Office investigates the case for a couple of months before they remove the old house master and re-issue you with a new blue book. I have first hand experience of this and it is just painful.

 

So top tip: Get pictures of the blue book before the sale date and an agreement that everyone will go to the District Office to transfer themselves out of the blue book immediately after the sale is completed.

[Yellowtail]

On 6/16/2021 at 9:52 PM, digibum said:

Sorry if that was confusing.  My wife will be with me in Phuket.   

 

 

As I understand it, your wife technically resides where she is listed.