British and American men arrested for real estate violations

[riclag]

Big money can sometimes lead to big problems.

Small wealth , not so many problems!

 

Greed can be a human phenomenon,

me thinks!

[BE88]

2 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Was he trying to run in or out of the hospital?

Run in for escape police but no lucky hospital ask passport and call police.

[BigStar]

 

Seems this is mainly about working w/o a permit, and working w/o a permit to assist others working w/o a permit, in an area where foreigners aren't particularly welcome--not so much about the (questionable) legal entity itself used for owning land for a personal residence.

 

Lot of Thai lawyers are engaged this practice w/o being busted. Different sorts of foreign ownership cases are sometimes brought by police and merely conflated here for fearmongering purposes, perhaps assisted by the reporting itself, keeping in mind the business model.

Edited March 16 by BigStar

[BE88]

4 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Thaksin is back, and the xenophobia and anti-foreigner sentiment along with him.

 

Same as his first time in office. 

See Bangkok Post today as if by miracle completely restored to good health and took office as prime minister.

 

[rexpotter]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Yup, those solicitors didn't get their reputation by being honest. They probably have an office party after muggins gives them a whole heap of loot to evade the law.

Top of my list of people not to trust would be lawyers/ solicitors, and second is Thai wives.

Sure you have the correct order there?

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Was he trying to run in or out of the hospital?

 

Does the hospital have an executive luxury suite?

[ChipButty]

What's mine is my wifes, and what is my wifes has nothing to do with me, 

[ChipButty]

If they are investigating about land ownership and nominees, just pick an area in Phuket, I listened to one the local news channels in Phuket and it did say 9 people are under investigation, 

[Jingthing]

Would this crackdown impact foreigners who buy condos with a company rather than freehold?

Not my situation but I'm curious. 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

It's amazing the lengths us foreigners will go to have some dirt in our name. They're coming for us (foreigners) the white devils. 

 

Just keep your head down, only speak when spoken to. Sort of like prison rules.

That is great advice - We are all out on parole - so we do need to 'behave'.  

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, transam said:

Who's George........🤔...?

Georgia the floor mopper

[zhounan]

The guy with sunglasses seems from Metal Slug.

[Hakuna Matata]

It's time now for British and American Bashing!

 

😀

 

[NorthernRyland]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

There are lots of Thai Auditing companies doing this; and I mean LOTS.  I'd be pleased to accompany the police to the offices where I was diddled out of my house.

damn, what happened?

[Aviatorhi]

Ah yes, these clowns, always trying to outplay the system instead of just buying foreigner quota in a condominium like a sane person.

 

Want to live in the countryside? Too bad - buy a car. Cheaper than burning millions on these games. 

[NorthernRyland]

3 hours ago, proton said:

These two seem very sure of themselves and the 30 year lease on the land,

 

can't the developer legally issue leases on the land they own?

[Bangkok Barry]

 

This will probably go quiet after a few days, until the next time. Normal practise here with any 'crackdown'. I think most who have 'bent' the law will not get a knock on the door unless they are very unlucky. Not this time, anyway.

[shackleton]

Well after our Swiss friends fell fowl of the Thai authorities 

The police and  Immigration are now being Pro active instead of Re active 

In pursuing foreign criminals involved in illegal activities in Thailand 🇹🇭 

[bristolgeoff]

I know a farang can never own land alone.A thai wife or a thai  on the deeds.Maybe thru a company is one way.The wife or owner of land can do a long lease on it too.That is the only way here and setting up a company they are rules to that.So a mind field if u ever want to do this,these people got caught and they is always someone watching somewhere

[CygnusX1]

On seeing the headline, thought for one worrying moment they were being arrested for failure to lodge a TM30 (I did try online, but unsure whether it actually went through or not…)

[Excogitator]

4 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

It's amazing the lengths us foreigners will go to have some dirt in our name. They're coming for us (foreigners) the white devils. 

 

Just keep your head down, only speak when spoken to. Sort of like prison rules.

It's pretty simple really, don't break the law and you're okay..

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Following a thorough investigation, legal proceedings have been initiated against the implicated parties. Mr. David, notably, was involved in transactions where properties were sold to foreign individuals, a violation of laws governing foreign business operations

Rent never buy in Thailand.. 

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, Excogitator said:

It's pretty simple really, don't break the law and you're okay..

 

Not so simple when there are a lot of lawyers, Thai included, who make their living setting up dodgy companies that skirt the laws.   If you can't trust your lawyer to keep you legal...

 

[Cabradelmar]

Just another trying to get in the fraud game, thinking Thai authorities are too slow/lazy/dumb to catch them... 

[Excogitator]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

Not so simple when there are a lot of lawyers, Thai included, who make their living setting up dodgy companies that skirt the laws.   If you can't trust your lawyer to keep you legal...

 

Do your own thorough research, and trust yourself only. Foreigners can not own land in los, period.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, BigStar said:

Lot of Thai lawyers are engaged this practice w/o being busted. Different sorts of foreign ownership cases are sometimes brought by police and merely conflated here for fearmongering purposes, perhaps assisted by the reporting itself, keeping in mind the business model.

 

I can't count the posts over the years from foreigners lamenting that they have to "give" someone 51% of their company to be legal.  I had many foreign vendors who had successfully operated in Thailand for years and never "gave" anyone any shares.   They did have Thai investors, who were often great partners with important contacts.

 

There's a ton of Thai money looking for investment opportunities.  If you can't find any Thais willing to invest 51%, you're either not talking to the right Thai people, or your idea probably isn't that good.

 

[bradiston]

3 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I've seen plenty of article fluffing on here before but this is rediculous.

And what the heck is the "Tracing and News Investigation Center"? Some kind of private vigilante group for outing foreigners?

[Jack Hammer]

2 hours ago, rexpotter said:

All attachments to anything earthly end in failure. Had all the stuff, designer wife, Big house great job, Benz, BMW etc. 25 years ago a grabbed backpack and left the keys in my Volvo at Chicago O'hare and never looked back.

Why doesn’t this sight have a bull<deleted> emoji? 

[ujayujay]

2 hours ago, rexpotter said:

Only rent is the safest, I've tried all of it, barely got out alive.

Dream on, you can be moved out at any time by the owner 

[impulse]

5 minutes ago, Excogitator said:

Do your own thorough research, and trust yourself only. Foreigners can not own land in los, period.

 

Foreigners can own up to 49% of shares in a registered company that can own land.  Americans can own 100% of a registered company that can own land (under the Treaty of Amity)   But the companies have to be properly registered and the owned land can only be used for specified purposes.  So it's not that black and white...