2 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

I still rent, even though I have almost no intention to move from my current location where I have lived for nearly 2 decades since my settlement in this kingdom.

 

Back in the November, 05, the very first month my residency here, 

I, myself thought about buying an apartment room(price of such a room was a lot lower than today).

 

But someone(English stock trader) advised me not to do it; saying why buy while I can easily rent. Buying a condo room would immobilize me. Makes it difficult when I felt like moving to somewhere.

 

I still appreciate his words I got 20 years ago.

It kept me from taking  needless risks...

Sounds like you should have bought. You would own the place by now??

 

Of course, there is no way of knowing whether you would have wanted or needed to move back then. Nobody knows the future.

1 minute ago, Mark1969 said:

Sounds like you should have bought. You would own the place by now??

 

Of course, there is no way of knowing whether you would have wanted or needed to move back then. Nobody knows the future.

 

I am rather  glad that I didn't.

As you point out, nobody knows the future.

But highly unlikely Thai govt would require long term expats to "own" house/condo in any future...

 

9 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

I am rather  glad that I didn't.

As you point out, nobody knows the future.

But highly unlikely Thai govt would require long term expats to "own" house/condo in any future...

Your 20 years of rental payments would have purchased the property by now. You should have bought, you would own the place by now and not have the rent to pay.

 

You listened to some stock trader who thought he knew what the future would hold with his great investment advice. However, he was not you, your instinct was to buy. Hopefully, you did not invest with the guy and lose everything.

20 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

 

No it doesn't 

 

I've run across many suspect women in proper places. 

 

You have little if any legal recourse for proper settlement. There is no rule of law in Thailand . 

 

Now, if you want to GIVE a house to your wife or SO that's another matter. Expect nothing 

I think you are correct...... you can come a cropper with some farm fresh girl from Nakhon Nowhere, not only a GGB dancing floozy!

12 hours ago, Mark1969 said:

Your 20 years of rental payments would have purchased the property by now. You should have bought, you would own the place by now and not have the rent to pay.

 

You listened to some stock trader who thought he knew what the future would hold with his great investment advice. However, he was not you, your instinct was to buy. Hopefully, you did not invest with the guy and lose everything.

 

Paying apartment rent for 20 years.

To me, still a better choice than shelling out a big amount at a time.

 

I call it a small installment for happiness.

When I first settled here, I was unsure whether I would be in this location semi-permanently.

So pretty sensible decision.

 

I don't intend to make any big money in this kingdom.

That's not the aim of my retirement here.

Property speculation is the last thing that interests me.

Always has been.

Always will be.

 

 

10 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

Paying apartment rent for 20 years.

To me, still a better choice than shelling out a big amount at a time.

 

I call it a small installment for happiness.

When I first settled here, I was unsure whether I would be in this location semi-permanently.

So pretty sensible decision.

 

I don't intend to make any big money in this kingdom.

That's not the aim of my retirement here.

Property speculation is the last thing that interests me.

Always has been.

Always will be.

Ok, see you in Hawaii, man.

On 8/25/2025 at 11:25 AM, webfact said:

 

2 hands 10 fingers we can get ya for another 10 mill yet!
the bloke at the back, yeah it all worked out a treat what time ya off me and the misses are off out to celebrate.

Auntie thumbs up I like my new house!
Grandma and little sis thanks for the 2 mill each we're off to the mall.
Little lad what time does Disneyland Hong Kong open next week?
Martin Doh!

Quote

The couple’s ordeal began with what seemed to be a minor dispute over a boundary line with a neighbour, but it spiralled into expensive legal battles.

Only deal with Chanote (red) land title, those have the exact borders checked with satellite. Any other land title will cost you in legal battles.  

Pay your Thai wife or land owner (if someone else) only 20% first, and have them make a lease and superficies contract. Superficies contract entitles you as the owner of all buildings on the land. Only pay them fully after you registered the contracts at the land office. 

--edit--

Make sure to put in the contract she can not use the land as collateral for any old or new loan. Keep the contracts and the land title document(s) in a vault only you can access (or keep them in your country of origin)  to prevent her handing the land document(s) to a mafia lender. 

On 8/28/2025 at 10:44 AM, davb said:

 

A Thai massage therapist told me about a neighbor whose farang husband built a home on the wife's land. Once it was done she didn't want him anymore and kicked him out.

 

He hired a bulldozer and showed up at the house. She called the police.

 

The police said that since he paid for the house he could do what he want. He bulldozed it down.

 

I call this bull<deleted>, if you do this you trespassed her land and you will go to jail

2 minutes ago, Mindful Spender said:

I call this bull<deleted>, if you do this you trespassed her land and you will go to jail

 

 

You are wrong.........it has happened more than once.

How is one allowed to stay in Thailand with only a100 pounds a month?

51 minutes ago, ThailandGuy said:

How is one allowed to stay in Thailand with only a100 pounds a month?

Big C food court.

All facilitated by corrupt land office officials  using fake powers of attorny with bent Thai Lawyers ,, seen this happen in Thailand several Times over last 30 years  ... The  officials will  be moved  to another office and  no real justice or reparations will happen ....

Apparently Martin is an author of books already. I would suggest he writes a book about this tragic story as a word of warning to others. I loved reading books like Private Dancer, Money No 1, Damage Done, etc when I first started coming to Thailand, and I'm so glad I did! Hopefully make him a few bob to supplement his pension

On 9/1/2025 at 9:31 AM, ThailandGuy said:

How is one allowed to stay in Thailand with only a100 pounds a month?

That's the least of his problems now.  

On 9/1/2025 at 12:00 PM, foxboy said:

I loved reading books like Private Dancer

 

Based on the old Jools Bar and its characters in Soi Nana from the late 90's. 

 

Few are still around, and if they are, and reading this, hi guys! 👋

Old adage of never put all your eggs in one basket, seems like the best policy.

  Ha4rd lesson for this Brit expat to learn at his adanced age.

I never have and never will buy property in Thailand. Rent, rent, rent. Keeping all my assets back in my home country.

On 8/31/2025 at 7:18 AM, Mark1969 said:

Your 20 years of rental payments would have purchased the property by now. You should have bought, you would own the place by now and not have the rent to pay.

 

A real estate purchase can quickly turn into a liability.

 

If you rent the landlord is subsidizing your shelter.

 

A tenant does not bear the stress of maintenance, market downturns, special assessments for repairs, etc.

 

Come and go as you please as a tenant.

 

I said this many times before on this board, the time to buy real estate for capital gains has come and gone in terms of Western markets.

 

Any of the following would've been jackpots of gold if you got in early enough:

 

- Vancouver, Canada

- Toronto, Canada

- Melbourne, Australia

- Manchester, UK

- Munich, DE

- Calgary, Canada

- Perth, Australia

- Auckland, New Zealand

- Dublin, IE.

On 8/27/2025 at 11:01 AM, snowgard said:

"In 2010, Sudarat borrowed £34,000 from a moneylender"

 

Why the hell would a hotel owner borrow so much money from a money lender for a minor land dispute instead of taking out a small loan from a bank? I don't know, but there must be much, much more to this case. And if you have a minor dispute with a neighbor over a property boundary, call the land office and have it checked.

 

I don't believe this story!!! Something stinks here!!!

Thais can not borrow from a bank easily they have to have tax records and employment records not a stall in the market 

 

 

 

 

28 minutes ago, Woke to Sounds said:

A real estate purchase can quickly turn into a liability.

 

If you rent the landlord is subsidizing your shelter.

 

A tenant does not bear the stress of maintenance, market downturns, special assessments for repairs, etc.

 

Come and go as you please as a tenant.

Not much maintenance on a condo.

 

Market downturns were irrelevant for him.

 

Possibility of a special assessment somewhere but probably not a deal breaker.

 

Renter has been in the same unit for 2 decades so cuming & going was not an issue.

1 hour ago, kiwikeith said:

Thais can not borrow from a bank easily they have to have tax records and employment records not a stall in the market 

 

 

 

 

No!!! That's not true. A monthly income in the bank account is enough!!! My wife gets loans from banks with ease. But I, as her husband, have to sign for them too.

 

If you own a house and a hotel, you don't go to a loan shark, but to your bank, because the interest rates are much lower...! The only reason I know for going to a loan shark is if the wife is addicted to gambling and wants to borrow money without her husband knowing. Then she doesn't pay it back or borrows more, and CRAP happens. And then the lies to the husband start, and... Game lost.

 

 

20 hours ago, Dexxter said:

I never have and never will buy property in Thailand. Rent, rent, rent. Keeping all my assets back in my home country.

So long as your own country doesn't appear to be driving itself towards being the next basket case, all well and good!