Land Ownership

[CWMcMurray]

We have just been notified that in my wife's hometown they are finally processing chinotes for everyone and her family owns a couple of plots of land and they want to put everything in my wife's name.

I have read in previous posts that Thai's with foreign husbands will have to have their husbands fill out a form that will be registered with the land department basically saying that in case of divorce I would not try to lay claim to this land. I don't have problem with doing this as it is her family's land.

I have also heard that sometimes the governemnt officals may not know how to do this or may not want to spend the time to this. They may just say that you can't do it, I want to know if someone can provide the relevant regulations in Thai that I can give to my wife when she goes back this friday 18 Jan to take care of this. It may not be necessary but I as I am not going to be there I want her to have the regulations in hand in Thai so that we can ensure that this is all done correctly.

One of the big reasons why we need to ensure that everything is in her name is that in about a year or so we plan on buying a home and we will be taking the mortgage out in her name. She owns her own business and has very good credit and we we think our chances of approval of the loan would be even better if she also had a couple of chanotes in her name.

So if anyone can provide this information in Thai I would greatly appreciate it, thanks in advance for your help.

[mouse]

It is totally legal to own land even when marired to a farang. When buying new land, a farang husband must acknowldge that he did not pay nor hold any claim against the property and that the wife is doing so on her own valition. I see no problem and would suggest your wife proceed as normal. If she does run into a all too knowledgeable person at the property office and she does use her married farang name the problem could surface. For this reason I would suggest that you are nearby in case that they ask you to sign, but, I doubt they will do this. Good luck to you!

As for profiding this info in Thai...sorry!.... no can do!

Edited January 15, 2008 by mouse

[CWMcMurray]

It is totally legal to own land even when marired to a farang. When buying new land, a farang husband must acknowldge that he did not pay nor hold any claim against the property and that the wife is doing so on her own valition. I see no problem and would suggest your wife proceed as normal. If she does run into a all too knowledgeable person at the property office and she does use her married farang name the problem could surface. For this reason I would suggest that you are nearby in case that they ask you to sign, but, I doubt they will do this. Good luck to you!

As for profiding this info in Thai...sorry!.... no can do!

I am certain that she will use her farang name as it is the only one she has at this point. It is on her ID card, Passport as well as in her tabien baan.

One of the pieces of land was purchased since we have been married, the other right before we were married and the third has been in the family for years. But there has never been any chanotes for any of these pieces of land and So the whole last name thing may come up.

Then again it may not because they will being doing everyone's land in the whole area so it may get lost in the mix.

Or they may say they can't do it because they are doing so many they don't want to bother doing anything out of the ordinary because they are going to be swamped. (this is the possiblity that I am afraid of) so if we don't have the regulations with us they may just say--- sorry you can't do it, put it in your parents name (problem solved)...next.

[WilliamJarvis]

If you can read Thai, the Department of Land website is the best place to go.

Here's the link: http://www.dol.go.th/index2.php