Russian dad’s Phuket heartbreak: Wife bolts, leaves him penniless

[simon43]

I can't see from the article that the son is actually the Thai woman's son, and it doesn't say how long the Russian man has been living in Thailand.  Perhaps he came from Russia with his young son a few years ago.

[MangoKorat]

10 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

The entire point of legal marriage is that you lose right to hold title and all assets become joint

What?  Who loses the right to hold title? Title to what?  If you mean property, in the case of a Thai wife, that is simply not true.

 

Also, not all assets become joint. Some are  'Sin Suan Tua' - (assets held before marriage):

1. property belonging to either spouse before marriage
2. property for personal use, dress or ornament suitable for station in life, or tools necessary for carrying on the profession of either spouse
3. property acquired by either spouse during marriage through a will or gift
4. Khongman.

Or 'Sin Somros' (jointly owned matrimonal property):

1. property acquired during marriage;
2. property acquired by either spouse during marriage through a will of gift made in writing if it is declared by such will or document of gift to be Sin Somros (jointly owned property);
3. fruits of Sin Suan Tua (personal property).

There is some 'blurring' - one example: If you held an asset before marriage (Sin Suan Tua), in general, any uplift in value since the marriage is considered 'Sin Somros'. But the above is the 'gist' of it.

 

A lot of foreigners don't realise the above applies and simply walk away losing everything. They may have been asked to sign a document stating that any money used to buy land was given as a gift to their wife and they will not make any future claim on it.  According to my lawyer, such documents are illegal because they go against Thai law and that has been upheld in court.

 

Depending on the details and fine points, in this case it is probable that the guy can force the sale of the land and house (through the courts) and obtain half of the proceeds.

 

More details here:

 

https://www.samuiforsale.com/family-law/personal-and-marital-property.html

[Liverpool Lou]

36 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I can't see from the article that the son is actually the Thai woman's son

"Some condemned his Thai ex-wife for abandoning her young son".

[simon43]

19 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"Some condemned his Thai ex-wife for abandoning her young son".

Well, that doesn't necessarily mean that the boy is her blood son, and 'some' infers that it's the opinion of others, not a statement of fact. But whatever, it's probably the case that this is her blood child 🙂

[Liverpool Lou]

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Well, that doesn't necessarily mean that the boy is her blood son, and 'some' infers that it's the opinion of others, not a statement of fact. But whatever, it's probably the case that this is her blood child 🙂

"...it's probably the case that this is her blood child".

I'd tend to agree with that.

 

"...and 'some' infers that it's the opinion of others..."
No, it doesn't infer anything, it implies that it's the opinion of others!

[NorthernRyland]

36 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

A lot of foreigners don't realise the above applies and simply walk away losing everything. They may have been asked to sign a document stating that any money used to buy land was given as a gift to their wife and they will not make any future claim on it.  According to my lawyer, such documents are illegal because they go against Thai law and that has been upheld in court.

Land is interesting because they do make you sign a document stating you can not own the land as a foreigner despite being married but the property is still a joint asset. It almost like the wife owns 50% of it and the other 50% is "unowned". I imagine if you went to court over the property it would be required to liquidated or the wife would have to buy out the foreigner for his share. In theory at least....

[maesariang]

5 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

Get a job teaching English.  Russians, Italians, French, Pakistanis, Filipinos.  They accept anyone these days.  Most of the people I work don't have a degree and can barely speak English.

Must be great teachers.

[Taboo2]

Hey Ruskie....easy peasy homie, take a trip to Mexico, walk across the US Border, claim asylum.  You will get 4000 cash spending money, free healthcare, education for the kid, healthcare, a 4 star hotel room and 8,000 dollars in Food Stamps for you and kid.  This will be paid every month until your Asylum date of Feb 24, 2031.

 

Courtesy of the suckers in America.

 

Enjoy.

[NativeBob]

8 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

I imagine if you went to court over the property it would be required to liquidated or the wife would have to buy out the foreigner for his share. In theory at least....

I heard exactly this. Judge decided she has to buy it from ex-hubby. Bangkok, land was at Rayong. She was a daughter from some middle level gov. officials, he was (I guess is) a teacher in better than average inter. school. What happened between them I have no idea, but her parents didn't like his farangness, that they lived in the parents house where they enjoyed him doing her next door.

 

They had a small kid that he insisted to send to GB while her parents were very against this idea. 

[NorthernRyland]

4 hours ago, NativeBob said:

I heard exactly this. Judge decided she has to buy it from ex-hubby. Bangkok, land was at Rayong. She was a daughter from some middle level gov. officials, he was (I guess is) a teacher in better than average inter. school. What happened between them I have no idea, but her parents didn't like his farangness, that they lived in the parents house where they enjoyed him doing her next door.

 

 

It's the only fair thing really. Think about, some farang buys land with his wife (100% of his money probably) and when they divorce the property is held in control of the Thai but it is still a marital asset so the wife can not hold it either as only 50% belongs to her. The land is then sold to another Thai. Both parties meet their end of the bargain and the land remains in the hands of Thais.

 

The only problem is I see is how the land is sold. In the US a state controlled real estate agent would put it on the market for "fair market value" and mediate the sale but if that doesn't exist in Thailand it could be hell for the 2 parties to agree on the terms of the sale.

[Tailwagsdog]

Stop thinking a Thai wife loves you, she loves the fact you provide for her. When the money runs out then you are no longer useful. ..and it applies to most women across the world. There are plenty of books, you tubes and stories that will testify to that reality. I have some empathy, I have been a victim.

[Stargeezr]

If this guy only paid a small amount toward a car, he was buying a car.

if he only paid a small amount toward a house, he did not really buy a house or a car.

  If he did not safe guard his accounts, that is also his fault for being too trusting.

It would be best for him to call relatives in Russia to help him to go home. IMO

 A tear jerker story for sure.

[steven100]

He should get back to PETROPAVOVSK KAMCHATSKY ...  at least for the kids sake.  Get outta this place and give your kid a decent life with friends around him.  

[Bundooman]

On 8/17/2024 at 6:40 AM, Henryford said:

How does he stay in Thailand. Doesn't sound like he has 800k in the bank.

He's Russian.

We're not.

Different regulations for Russia and China.

They are good - we are not.

 

[DLock]

I will never comprehend why a foreigner would marry a Thai woman.

 

And if the answer is "for a visa", that's even worse.

 

There is zero upside.

 

Recreational use only. Outsource everything else.

[MangoKorat]

On 8/17/2024 at 3:25 PM, NorthernRyland said:

Land is interesting because they do make you sign a document stating you can not own the land as a foreigner despite being married but the property is still a joint asset. It almost like the wife owns 50% of it and the other 50% is "unowned". I imagine if you went to court over the property it would be required to liquidated or the wife would have to buy out the foreigner for his share. In theory at least....

Not in theory, that is the fact of it - although I don't doubt you may have to press your case in some places.

 

As far as I know, not all land offices ask for that document signing these days. Its a pretty useless document in any case as foreigners can't own land.  However, I haven't seen one of the documents for a long time (20 years) but I'm pretty sure the one I signed also stated that I would not make any claim on the land in the future.  That part, according to what a lawyer told me, also conflicts with Thai statute law on matrimonial matters. What I was told is that in a court case, the court decided that the document was not lawful and held no water as it had never been enacted so statute law applied.

 

I have no doubt that in some cases, crooked lawyers from both sides will do some sort of deal and try to convince the foreigner that he has no chance but according to what I was told, that's simply not true.  Its also a fact that many foreigners have simply walked away without contesting the matter because they've believed the 'bar stool' stories that say the foreigner always loses.

 

I have though, read reports of foreigners being awarded half of the assets in a divorce.  I know I certainly wouldn't accept being fleeced - although, I know enough about the place now to never put myself in that position.

 

 

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

but I'm pretty sure the one I signed also stated that I would not make any claim on the land in the future.  That part, according to what a lawyer told me, also conflicts with Thai statute law on matrimonial matters. What I was told is that in a court case, the court decided that the document was not lawful and held no water as it had never been enacted so statute law applied.

 

It's a catch 22. The foreigner can not own land but the land is a marital asset and jointly "owned". I don't see the purpose of that document because ultimately the land can only be transferred to another Thai. What "making claims on the land" means is dubious also.

[Northstar1]

Great news and may it happen to many more Ivan’s 😂😂😂👍👌🙏👋😎🤞😜

[still kicking]

21 hours ago, Tailwagsdog said:

Stop thinking a Thai wife loves you, she loves the fact you provide for her. When the money runs out then you are no longer useful. ..and it applies to most women across the world. There are plenty of books, you tubes and stories that will testify to that reality. I have some empathy, I have been a victim.

Nonsense, I have been married to a Thai woman for 21 years she is looking after me now since I am getting old.

[radiochaser]

On 8/17/2024 at 6:54 PM, jvs said:

If the child has a Thai mother and is born in Thailand there is absolutely no need for his mother to apply for his Thai citizenship.

I know also that the Thai government will not allow a Thai child leave the country without written consent of both parents,unless the parent taking the child out has sole custody.

Doing it otherwise is kidnapping and not so legal.

 

Somewhat off topic ...
My daughter has Thai/American citizenship and passports for each country.  

 

Married in U.S. of A. and gave birth to two kids.  Grandkids also have American/Thai citizenship and passports for each country.   

 

Daughter divorced husband and by court order has sole custody of her children.   Now when she travels to Thailand (or anywhere else e.g. Italy last month) she takes the court documents showing sole custody of children with her.  Just in case. 

[rickudon]

A couple of observations.

 

First, the man was stupid to run his money down to nothing after he lost his job; no welfare state for farang in Thailand and no Russian relatives to help him. If he cannot even afford to pay instalments on a motor bike, how on earth could he buy a plane ticket? Only hope is Russian embassy  pays (unlikely?) or relative in Russia does. He is now desperately in need of help.

 

Second, maternal instinct not always strong in Thailand. In my village alone, know of 3 cases where the mother has abandoned their kids to go live with new partner, leaving them with the old one or once just dumped the kid on a friend!