How Things Change

[chiangmaibruce]

“The unsatisfactory tenure of land in this district throughout is a constant source of complaint by British subjects. A few years ago, an Order was issued in Chiengmai, and the other large towns of the north, prohibiting native owners of land, under heavy penalties, from selling or disposing of their land to foreigners. It is only recently that natives are becoming less afraid of the consequences, and are selling and mortgaging their land very frequently to British subjects. Many British subjects have applied to me in the matter of the purchase of land. I have written to the High Commissioner requesting that officials be sent as in Bangkok, to measure the land about to be purchased, and make out the title-deeds. I have also spoken to Phya Song on the subject, and he quite agreed with me that the time had come when foreigners should be allowed to buy land in this district, and beyond the twenty-four hours' limit. As a matter of fact, British subjects have continued 'to buy and rent houses, lands, and plantations' in all the large towns of the north without protest from the Siamese officials. But in many cases that have come before the International Court, the British subject who has purchased land has, after many years' tenure, been ousted from the land, at its nominal value, at the instance of a native plaintiff (in an estate, for instance) merely because the British subject holds no official title-deeds, and cannot hold land according to Treaty. Thus, any person who can prove relationship to the seller of a piece of land to a British subject, can enter a suit in the International Court for the latter's eviction, after payment of considerable sums of money in improvements, and the British subject has to leave his land without any compensation for the enhanced value of the land, or for the improvements effected, interest on capital, &c. This state of things is intolerable”

An 1898 British diplomatic despatch from the northern city of Chiangmai, as quoted in “Sovereignty, security, and property rights in Land: the cases of Thailand and Japan”, Tomas Larsson, Ph.D candidate, Cornell University.

If you don't mind some heavy reading this paper presents an interesting and very detailed background to where we are at now with regards to land ownership laws in Thailand. CB

http://falcon.arts.cornell.edu/Govt/PERC_f...PERC%202006.pdf

[joskydive]

Would have liked to have checked that out but the page cannot be found.

[chiangmaibruce]

OK sorry that link does not want to play ball today, so try this one ...

www.journal.su.ac.th/index.php/suij/article/viewFile/8/6

and failing that ... google with keywords "King Chulalongkorn thailand land ownership foreigner"

- CB

[Khun Jean]

Gives some perspective on the clause 'or when landwonership is allowed' in 30 year rental contracts.

110 years later and still nothing that even hints going in the wished direction. (I said wished, because i think this landownership is good for Thai people).