No Foreigners Found Violating Law On Buying, Renting Farmland In Thailand

[animatic]

They needed to be seen doing something at some ministry,

so they said they would look for something that stokes nationalist ferver,

they didn't find it, and job done.

[oevna]

Mr Alongkorn said an investigation had been conducted in 20 provinces nationwide by Commerce Ministry Business Development Department officials and it was found that no foreigners had either bought or rented farmland over the limit set by law to continue farming in Thailand.

However, the ministry will continue monitoring the sector and seek cooperation from owners of agricultural land, and members of the Thai Farmers Association (TFA) for help in monitoring the activities of foreigners who may have entered into the business, he said.

These two statements sound to me like simply a setup for some tea-money collection. Seriously, there probably are lots of farangs out there doing farming in Thailand, but it isn't really worth their effort to track them all down and charge them with the crime. So instead, just keep the lingering threat above their heads, so that whenever an official needs a little extra cash ...

[Bruce1]

All over the world farmers are serfs who work their guts out for a pittance to enrich the middle men and supermarket chains. Why should Thailand be any different? After all, isn't it rich Thais who control most Thai farms, either directly or indirectly through monopoly purchasing, so this is just another form of protecting the rich by using the law to protect them from foreign competition so they can continue their cosy little monopoly exploitation racket.

No country which has 55% of its workforce in agriculture can claim to be developed. In developed countries agriculture employs less than 5% of the people.

Besides, I thought farming was Thailand's equivalent of the unenployment dole in other countries.

Edited August 9, 2009 by Bruce1

[sibeymai]

All over the world farmers are serfs who work their guts out for a pittance to enrich the middle men and supermarket chains. Why should Thailand be any different? After all, isn't it rich Thais who control most Thai farms, either directly or indirectly through monopoly purchasing, so this is just another form of protecting the rich by using the law to protect them from foreign competition so they can continue their cosy little monopoly exploitation racket.

No country which has 55% of its workforce in agriculture can claim to be developed. In developed countries agriculture employs less than 5% of the people.

Besides, I thought farming was Thailand's equivalent of the unenployment dole in other countries.

pretty much nail on the head.

[MichaelShort]

It is good they clean up. It should not be possibly to come with a huge amount of money and buy a lot of land, since many of these do it to laundry money. If someone buy to a certain amount to have "something to do" when he lives there, thats fine. It is also good they care about their own country and not like here in Sweden where they only care about foreigners and spend our tax money on them instead at their own people.

[Ga-gai]

Spoke with an Australian guy some years ago. He'd been living in Thailand for about 20 years. He'd also been running a dairy farm here with his Thai wife. But after a while he got tired because all the dairy production in this country is controlled by mafia. There were no chance that he and his wife could survive on it, since they couldn't have the same chance as the other ones.

[norwayeagle]

2 many crooked farangs in Thailand.Its called money laundry+++.It's so ok by me they do "abit" clean up now!.Thailand should started the cleanup looong time ago.

Good luck with your new English lessons Norway ... keep trying and eventually you will be able to not only read the English, but understand it, and post appropriately...

Thank u very much 4 that mr .

[norwayeagle]

2 many crooked farangs in Thailand.Its called money laundry+++.It's so ok by me they do "abit" clean up now!.Thailand should started the cleanup looong time ago.

Really, a lot of crooked farang in Thailand, i thought it was more like a lot of crooked Thais going abroad with their loot to buy property and open businesses in other countries, of course that might be the fault of the farangs also as other countries do allow Thais to buy and own property and businesses legally in their country's (Launder their money). Lets hope that other countries don't crack down on Thais aboad or there would be a huge flood of Thais pouring back into Thailand, and the ratio of farang to Thai would then decrease from 0.00002 percent to 0.0000002 percent and then the Thais would have even less to blame on farang.

But i think most would agree if Thailand want's to kick out all the farang, they would gladly leave as long as all the Thais from abroad got their behinds kicked out of other countries and all had to come home and stay here.....but that would be millions of Thais coming home and losing the billions of dollars they have made in other countries, sounds good to me.

Positive from day 1(birth) Well i know more than the most, what people(crooked) do bcuse of my long time profession.So that makes me stupid sitting in here.i cant really expect Average 2 understand.That's just how it is.

[Bruce1]

Other countries allow foreigners to invest in land and businesses because they know that investment generates jobs and spreads the wealth around. It means more money is circulating in the local economy than was generated in the local economy by the poor locals. Where would America be without foreign money - still fighting the Indians. This notion of foreigners buying up the country is just stupid. What are they going to do - pick it up and ship it overseas? Please...! Protectionist blocking of foreign investment just makes the locals poorer. If Thailand wants to stay poor it should continue to shun foreign investors.

Edited August 9, 2009 by Bruce1

[TPI]

And @ Wrecker: you don't have a clue.

If you bring foreign companies into thai farming, the same will happen as in India.

What's needed are cooperatives, not greedy capital.

What did happen in India? And who did it?

Co-Ops are the go...the only problem is, in this country you have to look at the palaces that the "poo Yai's build for the co-op office! I'm surprised that they don't have Co-Op markets or department stores here?

What did happen in India?

[Busy]

Sooooooooo,what's new?

We can do much,much more than farm in Thailand.Like own GoGo bars,we can teach and.............anyone else know what else we can do?

I have run out of ideas.

[hardy1943]

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):

Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Govt-Probes-...

I don't know what surprises me more...Yet another "anti-foreigner" crackdown...Or the fact that they didn't find anyone!

RAZZ

Typical Banana Republic thinking. Go Philippines where foreigner investment and retirement is welcomed.

[Pops]

So...foreigners can't do that but Bahrainis can? If you come from Bahrain you're not a foreigner?

Maybe it should be Bahtrain.

Read first before commenting.

The Thai PM will request Bahrain to buy Thai farm products !!

You can buy Thai farm products as well, just as every foreigner, so don't worry, you do not have to become Bahraini to do so.

[Pops]

Sooooooooo,what's new?

We can do much,much more than farm in Thailand.Like own GoGo bars,we can teach and.............anyone else know what else we can do?

I have run out of ideas.

Spend shitloads of cash and create beautiful look krueng !

[Pops]

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):

Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Govt-Probes-...

I don't know what surprises me more...Yet another "anti-foreigner" crackdown...Or the fact that they didn't find anyone!

RAZZ

Typical Banana Republic thinking. Go Philippines where foreigner investment and retirement is welcomed.

Yes, please go to the Philippines if all is better there.

Why are you still here ??

Maybe haven't got enough cash to move and that is why you stay here ?

Foreign investors and retirees are also welcome here or do you think that at the Philippines foreigners are more genuinely welcome then Thailand.

Wakey wakey !!

Anyhow, just stop crying and face it, despite some minor issues, Thailand is a beautiful place to live !!

[NamSod]

Thailand belongs to the Thai. So be it. It's their right to make foolish policy but they must live with it. But we farang can and will vote with our feet and currency. Thats the nice thing about being a farang. I can spend my money in any country on this planet and more often than not the locals will accept my currency over their own.

Now pardon me while I email my local politician and remind him to tighten restrictions on illegal foreigners in my country and the need to forbid money transfers to countries that are hostile to my fellow countrymen.

[Thai at Heart]

Thailand belongs to the Thai.

That is at least what the people are told.

[peacefulwarrior]

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):

Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Govt-Probes-...

I don't know what surprises me more...Yet another "anti-foreigner" crackdown...Or the fact that they didn't find anyone!

RAZZ

More political distraction for the peasantry during the silly/wet/cold season.

It just bothers me that they bothered to even do this...

Call Peter Mandelson, who it appears is on holiday this week, running UK & the World from a Rothschild estate in North Corfu - he'll fix it....

Arf & regardz,

Brewsta

I even more so wonder why nobody in this whole gamble mentions CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the UN 'admitting' that by those (soon to be) worldwide 'rules' for food production, that approximately 3 billion people will die by malnutrition (GMO food, allowed pesticides, fungicides etc.) and death from 'preventable diseases' is the outlook... and it's furthered from all major governments who want a bite from the big pie aka G20 or as I call it, the minion states of the global banking scum & NO they are not 'the elite' , though having 90% of all the capital around they are SCUMBAGS! wake up servs... 1984 is in full bloom! C4 yaselves... and sorry, if this is an info board why the heck can't you post a stupid URL to give people some info!?! sorry... it's a wild world there and it's gonna be even wilder in bep nueng... youtube . com / watch?v=MPcTsHagBdQ

May we survive the SCUM and their dis-info train!

Hail to the people!

[peacefulwarrior]

Thailand belongs to the Thai.

That is at least what the people are told.

What a B$ view on reality is this please? The country is owned as most of all 'developed coutries' by a group of people which is way below the 1 per cent margin of the population and which has under their thumb some 90 per cent of all wealth. The nation belongs to 'the people' LMAO! big time... oh maybe we shall add, all peoeple are free and born equal... NOT

Gosh!

Anyone singing the hymn please... 'the international' one I mean...

I know, don't even get me started, I am paranoid anyways

[sibeymai]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Thailand's foreign investment rules are designed to benefit the Thai elite. With the rules in place nobody is going to rip off Thais other than other Thais. That's the way the elites in control of government policy want it and so it shall be until there is not more profit in it for them. then, and only then, will foreigners be allowed in because the local money supply has dried up (ie. Thai opportunity for elites to rip off other Thai elites diminishes) they will have to go offshore for new sources of capital and profit. Could be a long time coming.

Edited August 9, 2009 by sibeymai

[nakachalet]

i often marvel at different individuals' abilities to ramble on and on without really saying anything new or meaningful or adding anything to the discussion.... like in my own case here for example.... lol

whenever i thought someone is showing off.... i always go to the stocks forum where i would find plenty of bodies of ideas and projections and juxtapositions of how much the world is worth a decade from now.... lol

however no one there is sure how much the market is going up or down tomorrow.... but many can sure state with certain authority what the futures will be a year or five or ten years from now.... lol

yes, they have all the apparent authority with certain degree of absurdity to sort of foretell the future values to those eager to listen....

yes, i admit i am rambling too.... so i shall stop now.... lol just don't become a bigger fool by letting lessor fool fools you in words, actions or ideas.... lol

Edited August 9, 2009 by nakachalet

[MeMock]

The email you send out to Thai Visa subscribers is headlined with

"Crackdown on foreigners violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand"

So you click on the link and see the headline that says

"No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand"

A little sensationalise don't you think?

[visareal]

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Mr Alongkorn said an investigation had been conducted in 20 provinces nationwide by Commerce Ministry Business Development Department officials and it was found that no foreigners had either bought or rented farmland over the limit set by law to continue farming in Thailand.

However, the ministry will continue monitoring the sector and seek cooperation from owners of agricultural land, and members of the Thai Farmers Association (TFA) for help in monitoring the activities of foreigners who may have entered into the business, he said.

Farming as an occupation is reserved for Thais only and the probe was conducted following an outcry by some farmers that foreigners have bought numerous plots of farmland here and hired farmers to provide the labour.

On Monday, the ministry will ask the Department of Special Investigation to continue probing whether foreigners have bought or rented farmland through business registration or a joint investment with Thais, said Mr. Alongkorn.

The ministry will also cooperate with TFA president Prasit Boonchuey in investigating the matter, he said.

He said Thailand will ask Bahrain’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa during a meeting with his Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday to buy Thai agricultural products or enter into joint investments in farming.

Sheikh Khalifa is scheduled to arrive here Sunday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of the Thai government.

-- TNA 2009-08-08

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):

Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Govt-Probes-...

...very true indeed - when it's done through proxies, of course.

[cdnvic]

The sad reality is that most farmers are heavily in debt and always the net losers, bumper harvests notwithstanding. The real beneficiaries from rice cultivation are always the middlemen and exporters.

Edited to reflect the reality of farming everywhere.

[backsoon]

this is no crackdown at all, this is a political declaration.

I'd be surprised if there had been any real investigation.

I guess someone was campaigning among the farmers, accusing evil foreigners of being the cause of diminishing farming revenues.

Now that politician should have a difficult stance.

And @ Wrecker: you don't have a clue.

If you bring foreign companies into thai farming, the same will happen as in India.

What's needed are cooperatives, not greedy capital.

Hmmm... sorry, mates, I've only read 2 pages of posts on 'crackdown'. How can you focus on fictitious investigation of fictitious law breaches by fictitious 'guests' ? Look at the bottom line... There were funds to hand out, there were hands to put these funds into... Who got how much,- this is the question! And I'm sure it was not the ariculture, not the farmers, not farang or their wifes. Sic.

As to the missing common sense, politics and xenophobia,- tell me something new, pls.

[backsoon]

Is this kind of protectionism really good for Thailand?

If foreign companies buy up land or rent land , doesnt that put the prices up for land and houses and make the country and the baht worth more? Why are they still using Buffalos, why dont they join the high-tech farming like the western world and make 5 times the amount of crops.. using modern equipment and chemicals. I understand then there wouldnt be so many jobs for farmers, but couldnt they find something better and more interesting to do? I am assuming it is the poor who actually own most of the country (arable areas) so wouldnt it benefit them if the land prices went up? They could just rent their land to people who use combine harvesters to do the work and sit back drink as much lao kao as they like!

It reminds me of when they closed the coal mines in Wales all the miners up in arms... but who wants to work in a bloody coal mine. People had to retrain for something better.

How can Thailand go from a third world country to be like Malaysia or other countries like Singapore?

Surely this is the way forward isnt it? If they really feel their way is superior to ours.. then why are they "scared" of us?

I cant get my head around it!

35 Billion reasons...

This is a highway to a political disaster! If you produce 5 times more agricultural product using only 10% of population (advanced countries), what will you do with 50M Thais working now for peanuts? Buy them yellow, red or multicoloured shirts? Actually, black would be nice... They hate us enough already. I mean 'guests'.

[CHINWA]

Obviously the Snake who resides in the Middle East apparently and other areseholes in this society if we can call it that percieve that it is ok to own as much land and prooperty outside this land as upou posibly can and because or the a holes who run Britain certainly allow that especially in Park Lane and formerly just off the M6 motorway.

But Oh No we only have the space the size of France with a population the size of Britain ugh!!!!!!!!!!!! How can we let you Farangs steal (Oops! Sorry) Buy our land or Build a House co's if you did not know Farang this is a one way street!

Your comment is never the less NOTOBNOXIOUS as it is the theme of the topic. We should focus on other major problems of Thailand not to try to look for fire where there is no smoke; a strategy just to keep the population busy and temporarely forget the real situation. We all know how desperate everyone is and we all know very well that alone we can't make it, period

[Kopauvin]

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Mr Alongkorn said an investigation had been conducted in 20 provinces nationwide by Commerce Ministry Business Development Department officials and it was found that no foreigners had either bought or rented farmland over the limit set by law to continue farming in Thailand.

However, the ministry will continue monitoring the sector and seek cooperation from owners of agricultural land, and members of the Thai Farmers Association (TFA) for help in monitoring the activities of foreigners who may have entered into the business, he said.

Farming as an occupation is reserved for Thais only and the probe was conducted following an outcry by some farmers that foreigners have bought numerous plots of farmland here and hired farmers to provide the labour.

On Monday, the ministry will ask the Department of Special Investigation to continue probing whether foreigners have bought or rented farmland through business registration or a joint investment with Thais, said Mr. Alongkorn.

The ministry will also cooperate with TFA president Prasit Boonchuey in investigating the matter, he said.

He said Thailand will ask Bahrain’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa during a meeting with his Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday to buy Thai agricultural products or enter into joint investments in farming.

Sheikh Khalifa is scheduled to arrive here Sunday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of the Thai government.

-- TNA 2009-08-08

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):

Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Govt-Probes-...

[Kopauvin]

Without blowing their cover, perhaps foreigners are buying farmland in the partner's name.

[CHINWA]

What these government clowns do not get is that every time they come up with another one of their harebrained "anti- fareng campaigns" they are

sabotaging the local economy. I know many people who have been here for many years, and they are starting to leave. They are traveling, and

researching alternatives to Thailand. These are people who on average, spend about $30,000 per year here (1,000,000 baht). How does that

compare to what the average Thai spends per year? Is there no regard for this contribution? I believe there are way to regulate foreigners, and

still remain respectful to them, and allow them to maintain their dignity. In Thailand it amazes me how foreigners are made to feel like 2nd class

citizens. We are not able to do anything as well as Thais, we are not as intelligent, creative, ingenious, industrious, honest, or capable as Thais.

We have not interest in building this country, nor contributing to it, and therefore we should be watched, and regulated. The Thai people cannot

seem to avoid shooting themselves in the foot, at every opportunity. Their country needs so much help at this point. Between the collapse of

the tourism industry, the appreciation of the baht, the world economy, their political problems and perceived instability, and a host of other

problems, you would think this might be the time to show more flexibility, and ease visa requirement, and maybe lower the bar for retirement

visas. While most of their neighbors are encouraging foreigners to invest, to buy land, homes, building for businesses, and offering reasonable

and flexible visa policies, what is Thailand doing? Marching vociferously in the other direction. They are digging the grave of their long term

financial well being. And as farengs, it is no fault of ours. I had a great deal of hope in Abhisit, hoping he was going to usher in a new era of

Thai politics, and progressive policy. I was sure naive about that one.

So far the best comment. Abhisit is far from being what this country need. As for the farangs living in Thailand the situation is as you described. Poor is the country where people think they are self-sufficient and any idea from abroad is wrong.