Forged Title Deeds

[robsay]

My wife and I are divorcing in the USA and she has real estate worth US two million dollars (US $2,000,000.00) in Pattaya, Thailand. I transferred the money to her Thai account in 2001, several years after we married. I have copies of the chanote documents dated from early 2002 showing her as the sole owner of the real estate. We are weeks away from a financial settlement, in the US, and she is conniving with the officials at the Pattaya Land Registry to have the chanote documents changed to show her mother as the original property owner, backdated to the original date of purchase. I know this as the Pattaya Land Registry Official concerned (whose name I have) has contacted me through a mutual acquaintance and asked for US $150,000.00 in order not to assist my wife. I am not prepared to be held at ransom. I need URGENT advice on what legal steps if any I can take to serve notice on the Pattaya Land Registry of this attempt to commit fraud. The properties are in her sole name as shown on the chanotes. If anyone can recommend a reputable law firm that can act for me I would be obliged. All advice gratefully appreciated. I have notified my lawyer in the US.

FYI the settlement in the US will make reference to the financial assets she has in Thailand hence my wife's absurd desire to commit this fraud.

[wolf5370]

If you are back in the USA and away from any reprisals, I would have thought to make as much noise about this as possible to frighten the corrupt officials from doing it. Letters to the land registry concerned (find out the names of the head guy there), their main offices, local government etc etc etc I doubt they will do anything - though they may - but the noise may frighten off the officials on the make.

At the same time, consult some lawyers that are not local to the Land Registry Office and get them to stack up some pressure. Remember its not a corruption case you are trying to win, just making them backdown. Don't rely on us, talk to your legal reps in the states and Thailand - maybe even your lawyers having a chat with the Thai consul/ambassidor may help too - especally if you feign the ability to get US press interest.

It would help if you get authorised copies from the Land Registry (even though you have the originals) now (via your Lawyers) so you have recent proof that the ones presented by your wife are bogus. Get your US Lawyer to note all this, including the threat etc, in the devorce patitions so it is easier to argue against if it does happen - especially if you do have the originals.

Of course this could all be a rouse on the part of your ex and the 150k may be coming back her way - how much do you trust the 'aquantance' and who gave them the message.

Good luck.

Edited August 18, 2008 by wolf5370

[GuestHouse]

Look if I offered to sort this out for say $75K would you be happier?

The point is you have no proof that you wife is planning to alter the Chanote and what if she is, do you have bank records of the transfer (it's not the sort of sum that get's transferred without a record).

Talk to your lawyer and explain your concerns. If you are really concerned you might want to ask a lawyer in Thailand to first get a copy of the registry for the Chonote, I'm sure that can be found and a attested copy sent to your lawyer.

Speak to you lawyer first.

$2000,000 in 2001, it must be worth a whole lot more, you might want to get a appraisal on the property while you are at it.

[RAZZELL]

$2000,000 in 2001, it must be worth a whole lot more, you might want to get a appraisal on the property while you are at it.

Did you transfer $2m in 2001 or it's worth $2m now?

She must be one hel_l of a ...

RAZZ

Edited August 18, 2008 by RAZZELL

[joskydive]

My wife and I are divorcing in the USA and she has real estate worth US two million dollars (US $2,000,000.00) in Pattaya, Thailand. I transferred the money to her Thai account in 2001, several years after we married. I have copies of the chanote documents dated from early 2002 showing her as the sole owner of the real estate. We are weeks away from a financial settlement, in the US, and she is conniving with the officials at the Pattaya Land Registry to have the chanote documents changed to show her mother as the original property owner, backdated to the original date of purchase. I know this as the Pattaya Land Registry Official concerned (whose name I have) has contacted me through a mutual acquaintance and asked for US $150,000.00 in order not to assist my wife. I am not prepared to be held at ransom. I need URGENT advice on what legal steps if any I can take to serve notice on the Pattaya Land Registry of this attempt to commit fraud. The properties are in her sole name as shown on the chanotes. If anyone can recommend a reputable law firm that can act for me I would be obliged. All advice gratefully appreciated. I have notified my lawyer in the US.

FYI the settlement in the US will make reference to the financial assets she has in Thailand hence my wife's absurd desire to commit this fraud.

Go back to your bank and ask for a copy of the transfer of funds to her Thai account. They are obliged to keep and give you a copy of this transaction no matter how long ago it was. This then proves YOU provided the money to purchase the real estate. It's a shame you don't have the original chanote documents, however, the copies can prove that her name was originally on it.

Nowadays, if you can prove the money was provided by you, the courts will demand that the property is sold by auction, since no foreigner can own land here, and the money is paid back to you after all debts have been paid. Should you have made more money that was originally invested on the sale, whatever is over is then given to your wife. You cannot profit from it as you are a foreigner.

With regard to the demand for money to not assist your wife for document alteration - have you any proof of this other than hearsay? Is there any likelihood that anyone would stand as witness for you on behalf of this demand? Have you any emails, text messages, written evidence or witnesses?

If you have no evidence to say persons in the Land Office are prepared to do this, I think the only thing you can do is employ a Lawyer here to act on behalf of your interests, where he/she will then be obliged to investigate any investments/properties that are owned by either you or your wife in Thailand. This will allow him/her to go to the Land Office and make some demands on your behalf. It will also let them know that although you are not in the country, you are still on top of things here and having a Lawyer breathing down their necks is not going to make it easy for them to alter anything without getting caught.

Personally, I think this has only been demanded of you because you are not in the country so it would be easy to do since you can't complain. There are several Lawyers here in Pattaya who I can recommend and some of them even, are quite fluent in English.

[alantheembalmer]

I've used BSA Law in Rajdamri, Bangkok, and they are excellant. They have an American working for them called Jim Byrne, so communication should not be a problem. Look up their web site www.bsalaw.co.th, from where you can e-mail them. Good luck.

[quiksilva]

You may also want to think about firms like Mayer JSM, or Baker & Mackenzie's, or if you are looking for a smaller outfit you may also want to give a specialist property law firm like Mulvana & Associates a look

[12DrinkMore]

My wife and I are divorcing in the USA and she has real estate worth US two million dollars (US $2,000,000.00) in Pattaya, Thailand. I transferred the money to her Thai account in 2001, several years after we married. I have copies of the chanote documents dated from early 2002 showing her as the sole owner of the real estate. We are weeks away from a financial settlement, in the US, and she is conniving with the officials at the Pattaya Land Registry to have the chanote documents changed to show her mother as the original property owner, backdated to the original date of purchase. I know this as the Pattaya Land Registry Official concerned (whose name I have) has contacted me through a mutual acquaintance and asked for US $150,000.00 in order not to assist my wife. I am not prepared to be held at ransom. I need URGENT advice on what legal steps if any I can take to serve notice on the Pattaya Land Registry of this attempt to commit fraud. The properties are in her sole name as shown on the chanotes. If anyone can recommend a reputable law firm that can act for me I would be obliged. All advice gratefully appreciated. I have notified my lawyer in the US.

FYI the settlement in the US will make reference to the financial assets she has in Thailand hence my wife's absurd desire to commit this fraud.

Is this for real?

If you have copies of the Chanote from 2002, then what is the problem? You can also obtain new copies easily for a small fee, surely they would still show your wife as the owner? If the documents suddenly changed in a week or two, then she wouldn't have much of a leg to stand on, and the land registry people would have to explain quite a lot.

Reminds me of the adage, "never spend more than you can afford to loose in Thailand".

[robsay]

Thank you. I have now contacted a law firm in Bangkok from the recommendation above and they have agreed to act on my behalf.