Anger grows over land for foreigners plan as ex-MP says Thais may face a ban in upmarket areas

[webfact]

(Left) Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam on Thursday indicated that the government may yet make the new plan to allow residential land plots to be owned by foreigners, more conditional. He said the plan had not yet been passed by the Council of State. (Centre) Thai Viviled Pary ladder Mongkolkit Suksintharanon led a delegation on Monday to the Office of the Ombudsman where they met Deputy Director-general Mr Watunyu Thiphayamonta (centre left). The groups filed a petition seeking a Constitutional Court review of the government’s October 25th decision. (Right)

 

by Carla Boonkong & Pranee O' Connor

Land purchase programme under the new long-term visa is now being backpedalled by the government with Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, on Tuesday, saying it had yet to go before the Council of State and that it could be made more conditional. He said the government was listening and weighing the concerns being raised very carefully.

The deputy leader of the new Thai Future Party and a former Democrat Party MP from Phatthalung has warned that Thais will soon be excluded from upmarket residential areas dominated by Chinese and foreign homeowners except for small stallholders on the side of the road selling snacks and drug addicts dallying in alleyways. It came in a scathing criticism of the government’s flagship policy targeting one million foreigners to come and live in Thailand while offering them the right to buy land for homes. It comes as, on Monday, the leader of the Thai Civilised Party, Mr Mongkolkit Suksintharanon, led a delegation to the Office of the Ombudsman seeking a constitutional review of the current measure agreed upon last Tuesday. The government’s legal advisor Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, this Tuesday, indicated that the government may be bowing to rising public anger and pressure over the controversial proposal.

 

There are already strong indicators that the government may be backing down on the decision by the cabinet on October 25th last which agreed to a Ministry of  Interior measure to sell residential land to foreigners in plots of up to 1 rai in connection with inward investment into the country and an ambitious new long term visa programme linked with investment.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/11/01/anger-grows-over-land-for-foreigners-plan/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-11-02

 

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[2baht]

Yield, we're coming to buy your country! Maybe we'll give you Phuket, maybe!

[Can samui]

Its a joke, getting bent out of shape over semantics.

There is zero impact on the ability of Thais to purchase land in “upmarket” areas due to this new idiot scheme. Land is already owned through nominee companies so the only change is actually granting rights to non Thais as land owners rather than the shady nominee company gig.

It is simple head in the sand racism.

End of rant.

[stoner]

next they will say foreigners only come here for the women. 

Edited November 1, 2022 by stoner

[Geoffggi]

Obviously the Hi-So's do not like to share with Farangs, while the Chinese have been buying here for years ..............................LOL

[2baht]

17 minutes ago, stoner said:

next they will say foreigners only come here for the women. 

................................and the weed!

[2baht]

3 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Obviously the Hi-So's do not like to share with Farangs, while the Chinese have been buying here for years ..............................LOL

Not only the hi-so's!

[brommers]

555 you can't beat a good old dose of xenophobia to whip up the !ocals!

[jacko45k]

Why would they face a ban, no mention of a purchasing ban for Thais?.... Those who have sufficient money, of which there are plenty, would have to compete on a level competitive playing field. Is that perhaps what they object to?

[Boomer6969]

Free market "Thai style", just like Prayut's  after coup "Thai style democracy"; laughable.

[Orinoco]

Thailand still thinking it's special.

Maybe if they did a buy 1 get 1 free deal. 

[Bert got kinky]

[edwinchester]

One <deleted> rai so you can actually own the house and land you live in and have a little extra security during your stay in the Kingdom!

I would love to see this xenophobic <deleted> reciprocated elsewhere in the world for Thais so they too can experience some of the astonishing discrimination faced by foreigners wanting to buy a few square metres of land.

[internationalism]

"The deputy leader of the new Thai Future Party and a former Democrat Party MP from Phatthalung" 

His name is not even mentioned in this quoted above article. Looks, like "has been" masquerading under unknown entity Thai Future Party. 

The general election is coming and for those minor politicians every opportunity is good to promote themselves.

 

That new law just reduces required investment from 5 to 3 years. That is not a radical change.

For 20 years, since Thaksin introduced it, not many foreigners invested, so it's a just a dream that suddenly 1mln  millionaires will flog in to Thailand - that at time of global financial crisis. 

[bob smith]

the racism and xenophobia in this country is truly astounding. they are terrified of us blue eyed boys. lock up your daughters, put barbed wire fencing around your homes and arm yourselves to the teeth, the farangs are coming for 1 rai of grass and mud!!!!

[Sparktrader]

1 hour ago, stoner said:

next they will say foreigners only come here for the women. 

Plus temples and 7/11

[Boomer6969]

11 minutes ago, bob smith said:

the racism and xenophobia in this country is truly astounding. they are terrified of us blue eyed boys. lock up your daughters, put barbed wire fencing around your homes and arm yourselves to the teeth, the farangs are coming for 1 rai of grass and mud!!!!

Fear of the unknown IMHO. Remember, they have never been colonised hence never learnt to handle the Farang like the Vietnamese or the Malaysians.

 

The are so proud of their independence but fail to see that the remain inadequate in the world we have shaped. But the might be in wait of the Chinese reshape.

Edited November 2, 2022 by Boomer6969

[Dogmatix]

23 minutes ago, internationalism said:

"The deputy leader of the new Thai Future Party and a former Democrat Party MP from Phatthalung" 

His name is not even mentioned in this quoted above article. Looks, like "has been" masquerading under unknown entity Thai Future Party. 

The general election is coming and for those minor politicians every opportunity is good to promote themselves.

 

That new law just reduces required investment from 5 to 3 years. That is not a radical change.

For 20 years, since Thaksin introduced it, not many foreigners invested, so it's a just a dream that suddenly 1mln  millionaires will flog in to Thailand - that at time of global financial crisis. 

Thaksin did not introduce this. He sabotaged it. The Land Code was amended by the Chuan Democrat Government in 1999 resulting Section 96 bis that allows the ownership of 1 rai of residential land in Bkk, Pats and other designated urban areas in exchange for investment of 40 mil in investments to be specified in ministerial regulations. But the Dems lost interest in the hot potato after a bitter fight with their own backbenchers and the opposition to get the legislation passed and left the regulations to the next government which happened to be Thaksin. His government spent a couple of years drafting regulations to ensure that the qualifying investments would never be available. Today Thaksin’s PT party remains consistent in opposing foreign land ownership, despite his own foreign land holdings. Where did you get the idea this was introduced by Thaksin?

Edited November 2, 2022 by Dogmatix

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Remember, they have never been colonised

really?????

gosh, i didnt know that! it's not like they mention it to us all the time or anything ????

[Dogmatix]

25 minutes ago, bob smith said:

the racism and xenophobia in this country is truly astounding. they are terrified of us blue eyed boys. lock up your daughters, put barbed wire fencing around your homes and arm yourselves to the teeth, the farangs are coming for 1 rai of grass and mud!!!!

Most Thais I talk to, including those of Chinese origin, say their government is planning to sell the country to the Chinese and are not happy about. Even real estate brokers who hope to profit from it are unhappy with the principle.

 

No one is worried about poor blue eyed chaps like you. You overestimate yourself. All focus is on the Chinese invaders.

Edited November 2, 2022 by Dogmatix

[Dogmatix]

1 hour ago, Geoffggi said:

Obviously the Hi-So's do not like to share with Farangs, while the Chinese have been buying here for years ..............................LOL

Right. Not only single rais for residential use in a Bkk and Pattaya. Sea front land in resorts and large tracts of agricultural land. 
 

I can imagine that investigation of the initial transactions would reveal Chinese buyers buying from Chinese nominees. 

[SoilSpoil]

Its a comedy show, Thailand has no choice seen the huge percentage of NPL's and consequent properties owned by its banks. Either sell to the international market,or face a banking crisis.

[internationalism]

32 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

Thaksin did not introduce this. He sabotaged it. The Land Code was amended by the Chuan Democrat Government in 1999 resulting Section 96 bis that allows the ownership of 1 rai of residential land in Bkk, Pats and other designated urban areas in exchange for investment of 40 mil in investments to be specified in ministerial regulations. But the Dems lost interest in the hot potato after a bitter fight with their own backbenchers and the opposition to get the legislation passed and left the regulations to the next government which happened to be Thaksin. His government spent a couple of years drafting regulations to ensure that the qualifying investments would never be available. Today Thaksin’s PT party remains consistent in opposing foreign land ownership, despite his own foreign land holdings. Where did you get the idea this was introduced by Thaksin?

from the article above:

"‘Whenever the issue comes up, it stirs a debate. When it was raised during the Chatichai administration, it failed. The regulation was successfully pushed during the Thaksin administration, but there were few buyers.’ Mr Wissanu said. ‘So we want to reduce the number of conditions to attract investors. However, it is yet to take effect and is still being examined by the Council of State.’

[daveAustin]

I agree with this. As said, mostly worried about monied Chinese. Much choice land is already owned by those with Chinese blood, who hold hold hold with nary a chance for ordinary Thais grab a decent plot. 

[Tarteso]

2 hours ago, 2baht said:

................................and the weed!

..And see temples 

[2baht]

50 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

they have never been colonised

The greatest pity...........I blame the French and the British!

 

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by 2baht

[roo860]

5 minutes ago, 2baht said:

The greatest pity...........I blame the French and the British!

 

 

And the Japanese occupation, during WW2.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, bob smith said:

lock up your daughters

I might dispute this..... there is frequent evidence daughters are available. 

[2baht]

3 minutes ago, roo860 said:

And the Japanese occupation, during WW2.

I think nobody wanted to colonise Thailand, had a look and said no way, we're out of here! ????

[newnative]

Phase 2 of using this non-issue as a vote-getter--add more ridiculous and scary but untrue claims that the average voter will not verify.  Meanwhile, it looks like the terms of the proposal are getting even more onerous, resulting in the number of people actually taking advantage of it going from tiny to teeny tiny.   Much ado about nothing.