American man and Thai wife lose 15.2 million baht in Hua Hin property fraud

[advancebooking]

On 2/7/2025 at 11:07 AM, RocketDog said:

Thus leaving the security of your domestic life in the hands and under the control of somebody you have no reason to trust.

 

This oft used argument cuts both ways. There is no 'right way' for every person.

 

Clearly renting is the right way for you.

 

I rented for three years (condo and then house in Chaam) while courting a Thai lady. We've now been together 7 years and I bought my pool villa 20min outside hua hin, 20 minutes from the Khao Tao beach, 10 min from the local fresh market amidst expansive pineapple farms. I own the house outright and have a 90 lease on the land with rights to purchase the land if I want. I have been spending my time and DIY skills in buying tools and improving the house and grounds, which greatly improves my everyday life as well as giving me a sense of accomplishment.

 

I sold my house in America in November and am now using those funds to make my life better every day as well as raising value for my Thai spouse after I pass. Win-win in my book.

 

Deep attic (50") insulation, vented soffits, and turbine vent keep my house pleasant and save on aircon bills. Of course there's no reason to expect Thailand will get hotter but you never know 🤔.

 

New pumps and piping for my pool. New sliding front gate and fence, all SS tubing and anodized aluminum panels. Complete renovation and painting of the concrete perimeter walls around my property. New landscaping and exterior lights. Upgrade to my pool house with windows and shades. New tile in the whole house.  New exterior and interior paint. New ceiling fans. New insulated metal roofing over low slope kitchen roof on top of clay tile. New water pump and tanks. Greatly enlarged Koi pond and pump. Exercise equipment for a home gym we both use.

 

Raised beds for the garden. Currently I have 12m of rows with chest high tomato plants bursting with green fruit. 4m row of bell and sweet peppers bigger than my fist. Lettuce okra cucumbers watermelon and cantaloupe plants.

 

I would never do anything like this to rental property yet it vastly, practically immeasurably, increases my pleasure and happiness and that of my wife (we all know the return on that investment! wink wink).

 

I appreciate it all every evening sitting by the pool, sparking a doobie, and watching the sunset far from roads, lights, and noise. She appreciates keeping up our golf-course lawn, raising orchids, tending her avacado and papaya trees. We spend very little time inside the house. The dog enjoys guarding the property and the long walks in the pineapple fields.

 

High dividends for such a small investment as far as I'm concerned.

 

To each his own. You voiced your opinion and I mine.

Do what makes you happy Sir. That's the best advice I can give anybody.

 

 

I like your style dude..

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, advancebooking said:

I have to agree with you. Last time I was there I couldnt believe the prices. I dont live in tourist ville thankfully. But that has its downsides as well. 

 

Check out of this video. I should make a new post entirely for this because it's seems to be a theme. 

 

Our American friend is doing his American thing and buys a house for 100k USD 10 months ago then realizes the location sucks (15 min drive from the ocean) then puts in back on the market for 136k USD. Free money yay! These cookie cutter "pool villa" concrete jungles are scammy and probably trapped many chumps. 

 

 

[SingAPorn]

Before buying, go to any pool villa developpment in Hua Hin..often full of falangs running the show and walk around. See how the walls and common areas are (poorly) maintained. Despite the home owners paying hefty monthly community fees.

 

Watch the soi dogs that seem to find they way in on a daily basis.

 

Talk to the owners, not to the rowdy party maker or drunks who are just renting for a few weeks or months.

 

Talk to the real owners in such pool villa developpments in Hua Hin (mainly all over Hin Lek Fai).

 

And you see the real pictur. How the defects show up after few years, all the bad experiences they had with contractors taken either within the developpment of from outside. How foreigners get openly lied, cheated from most of the contractor/workers hired etc......

 

But look and ask for yourself. No need of me warning people. Do your own research and after you'll decide where to put in your money.

 

The best advice comes from the owners of such houses. Definately lot from the developpers or any real estate agents trolling.

[save the frogs]

On 2/9/2025 at 2:48 AM, KhunHeineken said:

'm happily single, living in Pattaya. 

Yeah, I sorta guessed you were single and living in Pattaya.

That's one of the only ways you can get away with being a perpetual renter.

Sooner or later, the wifey/gf will pressure you to buy a place.

And I'm not judging you. In fact, there is a certain amount of wisdom in staying single in this day and age.

 

[save the frogs]

On 2/9/2025 at 3:38 AM, KhunHeineken said:

One works for decades to save for a decent retirement.  There's no second chances.

Not everyone has the same amount of savings in retirement.

Some people amass a considerable amount of wealth.

So if you are one of these people, what else are you going to spend it on besides a nice property, especially in a country where properties are much cheaper than back home? 

If you don't want to take the risk of losing the property to a Thai woman, then the only other option is to travel extensively. Then even if the relationship ends badly, at least you had some fun times together traveling the world so it won't feel like you've been scammed. 

Otherwise, anyone with substantial savings in retirement will be tempted to buy a nice villa at some point. Who wants to sit on cash in a bank and have a crappy apartment? 

 

[save the frogs]

Just watched Tim Newton today on Youtube.

He covered this story.

Tim recommends not buying anything in Thailand, renting only. 

 

[KhunHeineken]

On 2/14/2025 at 9:24 AM, save the frogs said:

Just watched Tim Newton today on Youtube.

He covered this story.

Tim recommends not buying anything in Thailand, renting only. 

 

He's not the only one recommending the same. 

 

Over the years, there have been some condo's in my block for sale.  Based on what they sold for, leaving that that money in a bank in my home country, the interest more than pays my rent, and I have no maintenance, fees, and taxes to pay, also, I have freedom of movement should the condo block be turned into a AirBnB hotel, or a Thai nightclub open to 7am opens next door.  Not to mention, the condo block ages and depreciates, and they are building more and more condo blocks.  I also don't leave a problem in Thailand for my kids when I have passed.   

 

Given the above, why would I even consider buying in my own condo block? 

[KhunHeineken]

On 2/13/2025 at 1:51 PM, save the frogs said:

Yeah, I sorta guessed you were single and living in Pattaya.

That's one of the only ways you can get away with being a perpetual renter.

Sooner or later, the wifey/gf will pressure you to buy a place.

And I'm not judging you. In fact, there is a certain amount of wisdom in staying single in this day and age.

 

Succumbing to the pressure from a Thai wife / GF is the individual's fault. 

 

They wouldn't try it on with a Thai guy, but farang are soft, and they know it.  Try it one with me, and she can go back to her 300 baht a day job, or the bar, or whatever.

 

Even if I did have a Thai wife / GF, I would still "pay as I go."  She would be well looked after, even after I pass, but no big ticket assets in her name, as to run the risk of joining the big club of those who have been done over here before, and at present, and into the future.

[KhunHeineken]

On 2/10/2025 at 8:42 PM, SanSaiExPat said:

But it is difficult when you're thinking with dick and your western concept of love.  I've seen guys who've been here 20 years and know better fall into vagina's they couldn't get out of.

Thai vagina's are like Pattaya baht buses.  There will be another one come along in 2 minutes. 

[KhunHeineken]

On 2/10/2025 at 8:50 PM, ukrules said:

 

Lets be honest, most of the people who 'lost it all' didn't really have much to begin with, did they?

OP title says 15.2 million baht.  I wouldn't call it life destroying, but I would call it a significant amount.   

[ukrules]

41 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

OP title says 15.2 million baht.  I wouldn't call it life destroying, but I would call it a significant amount.   

 

Indeed, it is significant and I hope this guy sues this developer and gets every Baht back.
 

[KhunHeineken]

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

Indeed, it is significant and I hope this guy sues this developer and gets every Baht back.
 

The money's long gone. 

 

I do wonder if the wife was involved in this. 

[newnative]

On 2/13/2025 at 9:01 PM, save the frogs said:

Not everyone has the same amount of savings in retirement.

Some people amass a considerable amount of wealth.

So if you are one of these people, what else are you going to spend it on besides a nice property, especially in a country where properties are much cheaper than back home? 

If you don't want to take the risk of losing the property to a Thai woman, then the only other option is to travel extensively. Then even if the relationship ends badly, at least you had some fun times together traveling the world so it won't feel like you've been scammed. 

Otherwise, anyone with substantial savings in retirement will be tempted to buy a nice villa at some point. Who wants to sit on cash in a bank and have a crappy apartment? 

 

    Totally agree.  Yes, a cliche, but you do only go around once.  Not for me a 'crappy apartment'--especially one owned and furnished--likely badly--by someone else.  

[KhunHeineken]

On 2/13/2025 at 2:01 PM, save the frogs said:

Otherwise, anyone with substantial savings in retirement will be tempted to buy a nice villa at some point. Who wants to sit on cash in a bank and have a crappy apartment? 

Or, leave that substantial saving in a bank account in your home country, where it earns over 5% interest, and let the interest pay the rent on a nice villa, with some left over each month. 

 

It doesn't have to be a crappy apartment, and it doesn't have to be a villa sitting on land you can't own.  

 

You keep your lump sum, still get to live in the villa, and you don't get scammed?  Plus, your kids will be thankful upon your demise for not leaving a nightmare legal battle like reported in another thread running in the news forum. 

[saintdomingo]

On 2/7/2025 at 6:55 AM, jayboy said:

 

It's Stephen Leather and it's a lousy novel, quite irrelevant to this case.

Interesting to drinkers in Jools.

[Woke to Sounds]

Purchasing property in TH is not for the faint of heart.

 

Due diligence.

 

I always advise my mates to rent for a helluva long time before buying anything in TH.

 

I've said it before, and I don't lie, the only sure bet with owning real estate is in Canada, where the feds have your back and will bail you out every time with low interest rates, emergency loans and whatever else to keep the game going. Triple digit gains in Canada folks... Pro tip.

 

Ditch the craptocurrencies and start shoveling your shekels into Canadian real estate while the gravy train is still running full steam.

 

Not the case in LOS, however.

 

Caveat emptor 😛

[No Forwarding Address]

On 2/6/2025 at 11:58 AM, Duncan 100 said:

I was approached a couple of days ago by an estate agent in Hua Hin. She has a friend that agreed to purchase a new house in a gated estate, the deposit was 1.5m, house price 6m, discounted from 6.9m, then 60 monthly payments of 93,000 (75K in principle & 18,000 in interest), She signed a contract with the developer but could only come up with 1.2m for the deposit and ran out of money. The offer to me is to take over her contract, pay the remaining 300,000 for the deposit, give her back 800,000 of the 1.2m she has put in and pay the agent a commission fee. Then the agent will sell the house for 6.9m, leaving a decent profit. Interested in anyone's thoughts 

Private Lawyer

[No Forwarding Address]

On 2/15/2025 at 11:19 PM, KhunHeineken said:

Succumbing to the pressure from a Thai wife / GF is the individual's fault. 

 

They wouldn't try it on with a Thai guy, but farang are soft, and they know it.  Try it one with me, and she can go back to her 300 baht a day job, or the bar, or whatever.

 

Even if I did have a Thai wife / GF, I would still "pay as I go."  She would be well looked after, even after I pass, but no big ticket assets in her name, as to run the risk of joining the big club of those who have been done over here before, and at present, and into the future.

It has been said many times “In Thailand, never be worth more dead than alive”.   and yes Rent.  I bought a nice condo in Jom Tien ten years ago, good Maintenance Management company, but has turned into a Air BnB for Ukrainians……..it is up for sale now.  I will rent from now on.  Oh, I am single.

[KhunHeineken]

1 hour ago, No Forwarding Address said:

It has been said many times “In Thailand, never be worth more dead than alive”.   and yes Rent.  I bought a nice condo in Jom Tien ten years ago, good Maintenance Management company, but has turned into a Air BnB for Ukrainians……..it is up for sale now.  I will rent from now on.  Oh, I am single.

Another reason is the retirement visa / extension is nothing more than a 12 month tourist visa that can be extended in country. 

 

Thailand does not have a reasonable pathway to permanent residency or citizenship, so whilst you may own a property in Thailand. it's possible you may not get a visa in the future to live in it. 

[ChaiyaTH]

On 2/13/2025 at 4:29 PM, NorthernRyland said:

 

Check out of this video. I should make a new post entirely for this because it's seems to be a theme. 

 

Our American friend is doing his American thing and buys a house for 100k USD 10 months ago then realizes the location sucks (15 min drive from the ocean) then puts in back on the market for 136k USD. Free money yay! These cookie cutter "pool villa" concrete jungles are scammy and probably trapped many chumps. 

 

 

This is just entire madness. They virtually live together with all their neighbors on a 400-500 square meter plot. And then by adding a little <deleted> pool they think it is worth 100-140K USD? You could buy like a 40 foot 3 berths near new sailboat for that money too.

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

This is just entire madness. They virtually live together with all their neighbors on a 400-500 square meter plot. And then by adding a little <deleted> pool they think it is worth 100-140K USD? You could buy like a 40 foot 3 berths near new sailboat for that money too.

 

People don't know what it costs to build in Thailand and get herded into these developer projects with massively inflated prices. It's just a concrete box. I've seen them build enough houses in Thailand to know what they are on the inside. There's not even anything particular fancy in the house, maybe a higher grade of tile and some fixtures. It's the still the same shell that costs about 11,000 baht/sqm.

 

Total scam but imagine your from California like these guys are and sold your little house for 1mb USD (not uncommon) and now you're loaded you cash and don't really care. Developers in Thailand know these people are out there and will buy lease hold projects so here we are.