I am in the United States now. I will be needing to draft a deed in Thai.

Does anyone by chance have a scanned copy of a deed (without any personal data)? I can use it as a template and then have a Thai lawyer draft one. In particular, I want to draft the deed giving the current owner/occupant a LIFE ESTATE, to have and use the property for the rest of her life.

Thank you,

Onvirai

It sounds as if you are looking for a copy os a Usufruct lease with that document registered at the land office the tenant has the right to live on/ control that land for the duration of their life.

You may find something in here that suits you:

http://samuiforsale.com/Example_Contracts.htm

I thought that only the land office could write up a chanote and that you could submit some text to be added but that they would then add your text to the document itself....but maybe I'm wrong about this.

A usafruct lease is not the best way to go. Yes a 30 year lease gives you the right of stay for 30 years, but the property can still be sold from under you. The correct way to purchase property for a foreigner as far as I know is a 30 year mortgage registered with the land office. By doing this your name will apear on the Chanot, and the property cannot be sold without your signature. A Thai attorney would have to draw that up for you unless you can read and write Thai.

Barry