8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

He's a one trick pony, and reason is not it.

The Ostrich Method will not work with the Thai tax man. Those with Thai nominee companies are finding that out now. As another member said, the next thing the data bases will go after will be tax, and foreigners are easy targets.

10 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

More tax revenue. Simple.

Actually it's not that simple and economic consequences would go beyond your limited vision.

Just now, Yumthai said:

Actually it's not that simple and economic consequences would go beyond your limited vision.

Sure, but that's Thailand. Money today, don't worry about tomorrow.

4 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Does anyone think they'll be going after small money?

They will be going after every baht, and why, because computers / AI will be doing the heavy lifting.

Foreigners are easy targets. They know we have to go to them at least once a year. This was debated in the tax threads. It's nothing for them to announce they now require a tax clearance certificate at extension time.

Even in my home country, Australia, data bases are starting to communicate with each other and catching out those who are working for cash, declaring they only make small money, but own five houses.

The data base/s have spat out the details of 47,000 companies suspected of using nominees. I agree with the other member, this is just the start. They will then move on to taxation because they now have the technology to do so.

Computers will not differentiate between small money and big money. Money is money, and the people who owe tax on it will be identified and made to pay, Thai, and foreigners.

The old saying, "Thailand would never do that, they would lose too much money" will not fly on this one, just as it hasn't with the Thai nominee companies.

5 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Sure, but that's Thailand. Money today, don't worry about tomorrow.

What I see is they make rules, laxly enforce it and even backpedal when they see it very unproductive moneywise. Some loopholes are closed and new workarounds appear.

That's Thailand and it's not gonna change any time soon.

4 minutes ago, Yumthai said:

What I see is they make rules, laxly enforce it and even backpedal when they see it very unproductive moneywise. Some loopholes are closed and new workarounds appear.

That's Thailand and it's not gonna change any time soon.

Thailand is becoming more inline with OECD countries.

This is one step in that direction.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/3271715/thailand-joining-tax-information-sharing-system

The article is about corporations, but the next step will be individuals.

There's money there for the taking. They now have the ability to take it.

27 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Not the point, is it?

As I said, they will be chasing every baht from everyone, as they look to broaden the tax base here.

It's been in the news. Look how narrow Thailand's tax base is.

nationthailand

Thailand’s tax base under scrutiny as only 5m filers pay...

Budget committee data show Thailand’s personal income tax base remains narrow, with only 5.14 million of 12.57 million filers actually paying tax.

Is it your position that significantly increasing taxes will broaden the tax base?

Assuming the headline of your video is true, and only 5M pay taxes, the thinking is that they will go after the few hundred thousand foreign retirees that live here, rather than the 45M working age Thais that aren't paying taxes. That is brilliant.

On 8/12/2026 at 9:13 AM, ronnie50 said:

her family compound

nobody said you need buy the family house
or have the family move in or buy near her family
but I do get your point,
many give away too much power in the decision making

On 8/12/2026 at 12:08 PM, Ralf001 said:

Be better to setup a usefruct.

each to their own, whatever suits.

On 8/12/2026 at 12:41 PM, terryq said:

This provides no protection as any contract between husband and wife can be cancelled at any time unilaterally by either party even if it is registered at the land office.

(As per article 1469 of the CCC)

Due to some legal quirk, which I as a non lawyer do not fully comprehend, Usufructs are excluded from this provision and are not able to be cancelled unilaterally, provided that they have been registered at the land office.

even with receipts of everything already paid?
and then as you state
Usufructs are your friend

TBH if all this is such a concern
she is not the one

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Is it your position that significantly increasing taxes will broaden the tax base?

No. Raising taxes on the ones that are paying it raises more revenue, but does not broaden the tax base in the way the Thai government would like.

Broadening the tax base can be done in a few ways, and whilst raising taxes is one of them, if you look at the figures I have posted, not many Thai people pay tax, and the Thai government wants to change that.

For a country of 70 million people, Thailand has a very narrow tax base.

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Assuming the headline of your video is true, and only 5M pay taxes, the thinking is that they will go after the few hundred thousand foreign retirees that live here, rather than the 45M working age Thais that aren't paying taxes. That is brilliant.

Like I said, they will chase every baht, from everyone, and the easiest targets are the foreigners. The Thai economy is not doing so well, and even Thai tourism is down, which represents around 20% of GDP. They need the money.

You mention a few hundred thousand retirees, they are currently investigating 47,000 Thai companies suspected of using nominees. That's a large number also, but that hasn't stopped them.

On 8/15/2026 at 8:58 AM, Brettoj said:

Another goose who thinks that even though lawyers were organising it they should know better than lawyers! What BS!

Yes, as anyone with half a brain would do research before spending quite a bit of money.

I'm very happy about all this news about the confiscation of properties from nominal owners. There will be fewer super-rich people buying and selling elite real estate. And with their departure, a simple salad for a farang will cost not 400 baht but 100, like in the good old days. The excess of millionaires has ruined all Thai top destinations. They now look more like heavily overpriced Europe or Israel in terms of prices.

On 8/11/2026 at 2:25 PM, couchpotato said:

Absolute rubbish post at @oustaristocrats . Most of the foreigners buying homes are just looking for a nice place to live/retire, and are told by Thai lawyers/Agents that it is ok to own with a company, which until this year was tolerated.

They are not scammers, fortune hunters or otherwise, but obviously they should have done more due diligence before buying.

You can do it with a proper active company and serious share holders, not by <deleted>ting on the rules.

20 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

If you pay H & R Block to do your taxes, are you exempt from tax evasion?

What has a USA tax assistant got to do with this, absolutely nothing!

I’m confused!!! So with the 13 foreigners, there should be 13 lawyers and 13 land office officials + anyone else that had thai signatures and stamps on any documents for the property that the foreigners are arrested for. I just can’t figure out how the last person to sign anything and who paid for an “illegal” service sold as legal is the first to be arrested?

If I buy 2nd hand car from an auction that was advertised for sale then 1 month later police knock on my door stating the car was stolen, yes the car would taken however, I would be allowed at the minimum legally to show my trail of paperwork, we could investigate all the signature and rubber stamps to proof who I communicated with, who sold it to me, show my purchase receipts proving I bought it in good faith ,yet somehow with all this very expensive properties and land, foreigners are not afforded the same rights as for the car example. Still trying to figure out why one law applies to one “criminal act” and not the other??

Who arrives in Thailand and has 3 thai’s to invest in their property or business etc? At least folks here in Thailand are just trying to live in a home to call their own and for example, not out their buying British Leicester City football team now owned by the thai Srivaddhanaprabha family with 100% ownership. Make it make sense ?? The same family own a portfolio connected to the football team and other properties valued at over £204 million which they own 100% and not 49% like is foreigners. No requirement for nominees etc, Just saying ….

4 minutes ago, curious297 said:

I’m confused!!! So with the 13 foreigners, there should be 13 lawyers and 13 land office officials + anyone else that had thai signatures and stamps on any documents for the property that the foreigners are arrested for. I just can’t figure out how the last person to sign anything and who paid for an “illegal” service sold as legal is the first to be arrested?

If I buy 2nd hand car from an auction that was advertised for sale then 1 month later police knock on my door stating the car was stolen, yes the car would taken however, I would be allowed at the minimum legally to show my trail of paperwork, we could investigate all the signature and rubber stamps to proof who I communicated with, who sold it to me, show my purchase receipts proving I bought it in good faith ,yet somehow with all this very expensive properties and land, foreigners are not afforded the same rights as for the car example. Still trying to figure out why one law applies to one “criminal act” and not the other??

Who arrives in Thailand and has 3 thai’s to invest in their property or business etc? At least folks here in Thailand are just trying to live in a home to call their own and for example, not out their buying British Leicester City football team now owned by the thai Srivaddhanaprabha family with 100% ownership. Make it make sense ?? The same family own a portfolio connected to the football team and other properties valued at over £204 million which they own 100% and not 49% like is foreigners. No requirement for nominees etc, Just saying ….

It is not illegal to open and register a business in Thailand, nor is it illegal to be a director of a company you know nothing about.

On 8/17/2026 at 6:45 AM, patman30 said:

many give away too much power in the decision making

Many even put the property in her name. What could possibly go wrong? 😂

20 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

It is not illegal to open and register a business in Thailand, nor is it illegal to be a director of a company you know nothing about.

It's illegal to open a Thai company for the purpose of owning land.

Just now, KhunHeineken said:

It's illegal to open a Thai company for the purpose of owning land.

No, it is not.

1 minute ago, Yellowtail said:

No, it is not.

Allow me to clarify.

It's illegal for a foreigner to open a Thai company, using nominees, for the sole purpose of owning land in Thailand.

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Allow me to clarify.

It's illegal for a foreigner to open a Thai company, using nominees, for the sole purpose of owning land in Thailand.

Actually, that's not true either, but it is much close to being true.

3 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Actually, that's not true either, but it is much close to being true.

It's true.

Just now, KhunHeineken said:

It's true.

It's not.

I could open a manufacturing business producing goods I ship to customers in the US, for the sole purpose of legally owning land in Thailand, and I could own it all 100%

8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

It's not.

I could open a manufacturing business producing goods I ship to customers in the US, for the sole purpose of legally owning land in Thailand, and I could own it all 100%

That would be dual purpose, not sole purpose. One, producing goods. Two, owning the land the factory sits on.

Read my post again. It clearly says, "for the sole purpose of owning land."

Here is the definition of the word sole.

adjective

1. being the only one; only.

This is why these foreigners are so easy to catch, and they suspect around 47,000.

The Thai company does nothing, probably doesn't even have a company bank account showing money flow, it makes nothing, offers no services. It submits no report, nor financials. All it has is an asset, a plot of land, most likely with a house on it. Illegal. Gotcha. Next.

Edited August 20Aug 20 by KhunHeineken

5 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

That would be dual purpose, not sole purpose. One, producing goods. Two, owning the land the factory sits on.

Read my post again. It clearly says, "for the sole purpose of owning land."

Here is the definition of the word sole.

adjective

1. being the only one; only.

This is why these foreigners are so easy to catch, and they suspect around 47,000.

The Thai company does nothing, probably doesn't even have a company bank account showing money flow, it makes nothing, offers no services. It submits no report, nor financials. All it has is an asset, a plot of land, most likely with a house on it. Illegal. Gotcha. Next.

What you said after the first time you were corrected was:

"It's illegal for a foreigner to open a Thai company, using nominees, for the sole purpose of owning land in Thailand."

Again, that is incorrect.

My response was: "I could open a manufacturing business producing goods I ship to customers in the US, for the sole purpose of legally owning land in Thailand, and I could own it all 100%"

I can open a company for the sole purpose of buying land, but to do that legally I would have to use a legitimate business to facilitate my sole purpose.

Say I start a business for the sole purpose of earning money. If the business sells tacos, that does not change the sole purpose of the business. The sole purpose of the business is to make money, not to sell tacos.

That you do not understand that is amusing. That you are cut-and-pasting definitions to "prove" your point is hilarious.

I really cant be bothered trawling through the thread. but, out of interest are the arrestees just "the average joe" who didn't want to put their home in the wife's name ?

Or are they more heavily involved in buying / selling / investing in houses or commercial properties. ?

5 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

This is why these foreigners are so easy to catch, and they suspect around 47,000.

The Thai company does nothing, probably doesn't even have a company bank account showing money flow, it makes nothing, offers no services. It submits no report, nor financials. All it has is an asset, a plot of land, most likely with a house on it. Illegal. Gotcha. Next.

I think they would have to do more than that, or they would default the first year. I think the phony company has to actually operate as a company. It would have to have income and expenses, keep the book, have documented meeting, file taxes and be audited each year.

I would guess most are set up as trading companies

I doubt they are one-offs for the lawyers. They are likely ongoing revenue. I would guess they get caught when they get tired of the time, effort and expense of maintaining the charade.

On 8/19/2026 at 2:26 PM, curious297 said:

I’m confused!!! So with the 13 foreigners, there should be 13 lawyers and 13 land office officials + anyone else that had thai signatures and stamps on any documents for the property that the foreigners are arrested for. I just can’t figure out how the last person to sign anything and who paid for an “illegal” service sold as legal is the first to be arrested?

I know. I'm suspiscious about the 'why now' aspect of this, rather than the 'why not the Thais too' aspect.

One possible explanation for both could be that, the insitigator (PM Anutin), is drumming this up as a nationalist redirection away from the real pressing issues facing Thailand's economy. The country is in serious economic trouble and the government clearly doesn't have any obvious strategy to deal with multiple financial issues it faces. So the bad foreigners trying to illegally own Thai property are low hanging fruit is an easy sell to the public - no need in his mind to go after the Thais in any big way. Also Anutin has a track record of voicing dislike of foreigners (usually westerners). Not sure why.

1 minute ago, ronnie50 said:

I know. I'm suspiscious about the 'why now' aspect of this, rather than the 'why not the Thais too' aspect.

One possible explanation for both could be that, the insitigator (PM Anutin), is drumming this up as a nationalist redirection away from the real pressing issues facing Thailand's economy. The country is in serious economic trouble and the government clearly doesn't have any obvious strategy to deal with multiple financial issues it faces. So the bad foreigners trying to illegally own Thai property are low hanging fruit is an easy sell to the public - no need in his mind to go after the Thais in any big way. Also Anutin has a track record of voicing dislike of foreigners (usually westerners). Not sure why.

People getting stung doing this is nothing new, it's been popping up now and then since I've been here.

I do not think anything the lawyers and land officials are doing is illegal. I think the fraud is on the part of the people that do not operate the business correctly.

If someone wants to open a restaurant, and operate it as a brothel, I doubt the lawyer that puts together the company documents to operate the restaurant can be prosecuted.