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

[CHINWA]

In reality, behind the scenes of many businesses in Thailand, there are Farang owners or shadow partners.

These can include massage parlours, bars, prostitution, restaurants, bookshops, Internet cafes, antiques, religious artefacts, property buying, selling, renting and the growing of foods i.e. livestock, meat products, fruit and vegetables.

I once met an American guy here in Chiang Mai who boasts earning 5 million baht a year from his lum yai lands.

The authorties are aware of the facts, but these people are difficult to identify as they use Thai associates or Thai family connections as front persons for the operation of their companies and often protected by the employees who wish to keep their jobs.

The Thai authorities if concerned about these illegal activities, could impose more severe punishments including mandatory prison sentences and fines, followed by deportation, plus mandatory prison sentences to Thais who become fronts for these businesses.

Or perhaps offer rewards to those who inform the police that lead to the conviction of the Farang lawbreakers. The funds for the rewards being obtained from the Farang criminals as part of the fines.

I for one would be more than pleased to assist the police with these matters, as I am not keen on Farang criminals gaining footholds on businesses here and especially if there were real punishment encouragements to help them cease and desist, plus a reward on offer that would ensure many more witnesses would come forward, meaning these criminals would not be able to rely on anyone to help protect their interests.

And then, when the owner of the land (the guy who makes the 5M/ year) is in jail who will employ the farmers who worked for him??? Guys with stupid ideas like you are the ones who should be in jail. It is because of you and other morons alike that this country is in this hole.

[morphy]

How much more evidence do you need!!!!

we are not wanted!!!!

lived in the land of false grins for 4 years and moved back to jersey last week, Best thing i ever did i can get a good job here the cops are straight and no one wants to rip me off!!!!

Thailand was once a great place but unfortunately times have changed give them what they want no farrang money so they can go back to having nothing then they might appreciate what the farrang money they have enjoyed since the early 70's.

Give them what they deserve "The middle finger" spend your money in Cambodia.Lao. Vietnam and Malaysia they appreciate the tourist's and ex pat's.

Thailand shoots itself in the foot yet again lol!!!!!

[dale8]

Hello, this is a good testament as to how thorough and competent the attorneys in Thailand are to structure the businesses and land ownership to the advantage of their clients. Will the government officials be bringing a few suitcases full of money to smooth over the transactions, and will the government of Thailand say anything unless it is not enough money? Cheers.

[snowflake]

... "renting/buying farmland" in the LOS to quickly become a farang billionaire?

WHY hasn't anybody told me before, that it is that easy?

And here I thought farmers were considered "poor"???

Can anyone tell me what "rich" by Thai standards are??? I am confused now!

[canopy]

I got a frantic call earlier today from a Thai to turn on the TV. I wasn't able to watch it but what was described to me is a breaking news story that a huge number of foreigners with chanote titles are having the land taken away from them and this is happening in many provinces with Phitsanulok cited. The other details are sketchy so I'll leave them out. I haven't seen anything in the press yet. Am I being duped or is there something going on out there?

[Thai at Heart]

I got a frantic call earlier today from a Thai to turn on the TV. I wasn't able to watch it but what was described to me is a breaking news story that a huge number of foreigners with chanote titles are having the land taken away from them and this is happening in many provinces with Phitsanulok cited. The other details are sketchy so I'll leave them out. I haven't seen anything in the press yet. Am I being duped or is there something going on out there?

The fact that it is foreigners with Chanote titles, would seem to suggest that this would be highly unlikely.

Any more news out there?

Edited August 10, 2009 by Thai at Heart

[NedKelly]

I don't see what the big problem is with foreigners owning farming land in Thailand other than filling in the land and building villas which seems to be a pretty popular pastime. But any person who wants to own land and use it for agriculture would presumably want to 'improve' the land and or it's production. So what if the land is owned by a foreigner. He/she would probably employ local people to work the land anyway and may even pay a better salary and give better conditions than a local employer would.

Well I'm off now to buy a swathe of isaan so I too can sit in the dust and heatwaves and wait for some rain...shhhh dont tell anyone! I'll make at least hundreds of baht a year ...!!

Ned turning in his grave !

[RPCVguy]

I don't see what the big problem is with foreigners owning farming land in Thailand other than filling in the land and building villas which seems to be a pretty popular pastime. But any person who wants to own land and use it for agriculture would presumably want to 'improve' the land and or it's production. So what if the land is owned by a foreigner. He/she would probably employ local people to work the land anyway and may even pay a better salary and give better conditions than a local employer would.

Well I'm off now to buy a swathe of isaan so I too can sit in the dust and heatwaves and wait for some rain...shhhh dont tell anyone! I'll make at least hundreds of baht a year ...!!

Ned turning in his grave !

Not to single out Ned, I've quoted him since he nicely summarizes an opinion much stated here. There are problems in the alternatives regarding land... try reading some details of what Cambodia and other nations are doing oppositely, much to the detriment of their people, check out http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/wish-you-werent-here-the-devastating-effects-of-the-new-colonialists-1767725.html Might there be a rational and more peaceful balance? Likely, but placing the line gets hazy as land prices go up. While I write on other forums of my ideas to fix my native culture's woes, it is arrogant to think I know how to improve here after a few short years. There are many things that I love about the community nature of the rural culture. Sure, aspects benefit those in power and go against how I grew up believing things should behave... but the problem is that a culture is a tapestry of all those threads woven together to create how people will live together. I choose to live here because I've determined that for me, I prefer the net situation over that of life in my home country. We don't get to say how things ought to be run - not with any vote. Does that scare me at times? You bet. But it is easier to stay as a group of guests when each is perceived as behaving as a guest.

[animatic]

My wife has a garden, we eat what we grow, sell nothing.

So what. This has just set off a national rumor mill.

[nakachalet]

rpcvguy--.... But it is easier to stay as a group of guests when each is perceived as behaving as a guest.

well said and i agreed with you wholeheartedly.

but then not everyone would agree with your wisdom though.... lol

most farangs in thailand do perceive that their God given human rights bestowed upon them by their own govt, extend above and beyond the pacific as well as atlantic oceans.... lol, to cover the itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-poka-dot thailand.... lol

however, many of us also realize long ago that just as soon as we leave our beloved countries, our naturally bestowed rights are no longer recognizable nor valid in the lesser developed countries.... where rules and laws are also less succinct and much less specific.... thus delimiting our personal freedom to the breaking point....

nevertheless, as rcvpguy stated so gallantly, if and when.... each is perceived as behaving as a guest.... there won't be any personal problem any where in thailand.... guaranteed.... lol but whenever we choose to behave the other way or to exercise our former God given rights in thailand, then there could be major problems, basically because most thais do not understand our God given rights .... to choose and to protest and to do whatever pleases us.... lol

but most of us do agree on one thing though.... we all are free men/women.... and we all have the financial resources to go wherever pleases us, right? by remaining in thailand for a season or more, indirectly indicates that we like it here to a certain degree.... right?

i have been here many seasons now and probably would stay on for a while longer yet, because i like it here--even though there are so many things that i personally find it so hard to understand and so difficult to conform to.... but as long as they do not endanger mine and my family's personal and financial security.... i'll not uproot to seemingly unproven greener pasture yonder....

as i said several times before, tourist destination towns, such as phuket and pattaya, are not normal towns suitable for settling down for a season, unless of course, you love to party every night or you have businesses there.... there are many non-tourist destination towns that are much more suitable for long stay--where local people would not take you for a ride, would not rob you blind, would not charge you an arm and a foot for a small favor.... these towns are scattered all over thailand. try talk to someones who have been here for a few years.... you'll be surprised how many towns there are.... or pm me.... lol

just don't packup and go home yet.... without visiting other much more intriguing and enchanting cities and towns.... yes, the local people there are even much more friendly than you ever imagine.... honestly.

Edited August 10, 2009 by nakachalet

[travelingmike]

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.

Yes because all farang are evil and the thais would never be corrupt...heaven forbid

The Farang is always of white origin, us farang are not the problem most of the time, we live in the country and buy a few rai for a family rice field. The asian farang is the problem, but I guess we are easier to identify. Most of us can think of better investments then farming. Probably jealous neighbors in the village when so and so marries a farang and then buys a few rai for the family. I bought my brother in law a tractor-maybe I ought to not spend money in thailand, or hire locals to harvest the rice.

[MaiChai]

I sometimes wish Thailand had been colonised by an imperial power, in which case the general population would be much better educated, there would be a better legal system in place, much less corrupting the procedures for the benefit of others, and the ability to look at and use other peoples ideas. We would also see better architecture, better town planning (how about making some parks and local services as well as building profitable condos), etc.

Most towns and cities in Thailand are horrible concrete places now. Anything old was made of wood and has now rotted away.

Back to farming. I think the view that the current system locks out any foreign competition, in effect monopolising it for the Thai elite who own most of the land, is the correct view. These small 1% of the population don't give a hoot about the well being of the poor farmers. The foreigner issue is just to confuse the population and point the finger at someone else. Most foreigners would like to be treated as an equal, with some controls to protect the locals (like limiting the amount of land you can buy).

I regard Thailand as a nice place to live. I know I have no rights here and thus it is not the place where I invest my money or buy property. I think its pretty clear that if you can't put your name on it, then you don't buy it. Thus renting is the best option; minimun commitment and the ability to move on with ease.

[Sturbuc]

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

Maybe it should be Bahtrain.

BAHRAIN

A dagger pointing to the very heart of QATAR

Maybe the strong connection with Bahrein is caused by the lot of female thai personnel working in Bahrein.

[neverdie]

maybe the line is incomplete.

I like to add "and we can go home at any time."

that's what I love

THAT webfact is the best thing about this zoo.

we are guests here

pure and simple

we will never be anything more than that

We are not GUESTS, when I have a guest at my home I do the best I can to take care of them and make them feel welcome.

At best in Thailand we are an unwanted neccessity. If they could find a way to get rid of us they would do it in an instant.

Chris

Never a truer word spoken Chris.

[lannarebirth]

To be honest, I think these news releases serve only one purpose and that is to keep foreigners scared enough to keep a bid under the condo market.

[neverdie]

lor / chris

perhaps a change of location might help you see many many better parts of thailand. there are much much better location for one to visit and settle than where you are now.... i guarantee it

where you are now was one of my favorites in 1980 but now pattaya is a tourist destination, not much different than phuket.... lol

chris, if you are a tourist, you are in the right place.

but if you are NOT a tourist, why remain there buddie?

pack up and go to the very eastern part of thailand where local people will welcome you and yourself instead of your euro/dollar, or

go south to songkhla or trang where southern hospitality will overwhelm you....

You would have to be joking, unless of course you consider bomb blasts and beheadings a great example of 'southern hospitality'.

I have a thai friend in Australia who was born & bred in Songkhla and spends as little as time there as she can because some of the things that go down there. We've always heard of the wild west, this is the savage south

[Bruce1]

I feel sorry for foreigners who have married Thais and come under the pressure to fund the purchase of a nice residence, possibly with land, which is quite a normal aspiration, of course. Unfortunately, Thai law simply doesn't protect the rights of foreigners, no matter how personally committed they may be to the country and its people. So I guess foreigners with Thai partners just have to choose between love and wise investment practices, a tough choice, unless the Thai partner is prepared to move overseas.

Of course, it could be worse, judging by what I've read recently about Dubai, where the relations between the locals and the foreigners appear to be pretty toxic, and foreigners have absolutely no rights whatsoever. The grass isn't always greener ...

[neverdie]

I feel sorry for foreigners who have married Thais and come under the pressure to fund the purchase of a nice residence, possibly with land, which is quite a normal aspiration, of course. Unfortunately, Thai law simply doesn't protect the rights of foreigners, no matter how personally committed they may be to the country and its people. So I guess foreigners with Thai partners just have to choose between love and wise investment practices, a tough choice, unless the Thai partner is prepared to move overseas.

Of course, it could be worse, judging by what I've read recently about Dubai, where the relations between the locals and the foreigners appear to be pretty toxic, and foreigners have absolutely no rights whatsoever. The grass isn't always greener ...

Yeah, I have family in the UAE at the moment and the most attractive thing about that place is the airport departure lounge.

Camel breath isnt the only thing that stinks around that place

[nakachalet]

lor / chris

perhaps a change of location might help you see many many better parts of thailand. there are much much better location for one to visit and settle than where you are now.... i guarantee it

where you are now was one of my favorites in 1980 but now pattaya is a tourist destination, not much different than phuket.... lol

chris, if you are a tourist, you are in the right place.

but if you are NOT a tourist, why remain there buddie?

pack up and go to the very eastern part of thailand where local people will welcome you and yourself instead of your euro/dollar, or

go south to songkhla or trang where southern hospitality will overwhelm you....

You would have to be joking, unless of course you consider bomb blasts and beheadings a great example of 'southern hospitality'.

I have a thai friend in Australia who was born & bred in Songkhla and spends as little as time there as she can because some of the things that go down there. We've always heard of the wild west, this is the savage south

----------

ok, songkhla is out of the question because of several bombs last couple of year, but beheading in songkhla? i must have missed that.... are you certain you are not talking about yala or pattani?

well, that would leave only TRANG, wanna try out trang's southern hospitality for a while? you might like it.... lol

about songkhla.... the savage south....! wow.... that is new to me and shocking too, to hear such reference.... well, any way there are at least six farangs who choose to live there for over 10 yrs now.... most are europeans though, the last time i saw them was two years ago, they all looked healthy and very tanned to the n-th degree with their thai ladies by their sides.... well, it did not look like a savage south to me at the time.... but conditions could have changed since then too....

any way, surely wish you a happy time in thailand wherever you choose to stay ok? many of us are having a grand time in thailand even though

it is a small country and is classified as a third world developing country at best.... in spite of all its shortcomings and imperfection, many like myself do not mind much at all, at all the inconveniences of getting in and out of the country just so we can stay on and enjoy our life to the fullest in thailand....

thank you very much thailand, i love you in spite of everything and most of all thank you for allowing me and my family and many others to have the life that we choose to live according to what we deem fit.... without too much interferences from your uniformed servants.

anyone else that discovers a better place, pls kindly post such, so we may thank you forever for the new discovery.

[Hawaiian]

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.

My sentiments, exactly. Wife and I just returned from a month long vacation visiting friends and family. While we enjoyed ourselves immensely, I would not care to live in Thailand as long as the present form of government and policies (or lack of) exist. The wife owns a home in Bangkok and other property in several parts of the country, so that's not the problem.

We have Thai/falang friends who have extensive land holdings there, but prefer to live elsewhere. Every time they return for a visit they have to deal with a bunch of problems that their lawyers have failed to act on. Most of the time it is because existing

laws are rarely enforced.

Just met an older falang couple who have been to Thailand over 20 times and have chosen Malaysia to retire, mainly because of land ownership laws. They love Thailand, but are afraid to settle there.

While other countries welcome this kind of "investment" Thailand considers it a threat to her sovereignty.

[TPI]

lor / chris

perhaps a change of location might help you see many many better parts of thailand. there are much much better location for one to visit and settle than where you are now.... i guarantee it

where you are now was one of my favorites in 1980 but now pattaya is a tourist destination, not much different than phuket.... lol

chris, if you are a tourist, you are in the right place.

but if you are NOT a tourist, why remain there buddie?

pack up and go to the very eastern part of thailand where local people will welcome you and yourself instead of your euro/dollar, or

go south to songkhla or trang where southern hospitality will overwhelm you....

You would have to be joking, unless of course you consider bomb blasts and beheadings a great example of 'southern hospitality'.

I have a thai friend in Australia who was born & bred in Songkhla and spends as little as time there as she can because some of the things that go down there. We've always heard of the wild west, this is the savage south

----------

ok, songkhla is out of the question because of several bombs last couple of year, but beheading in songkhla? i must have missed that.... are you certain you are not talking about yala or pattani?

well, that would leave only TRANG, wanna try out trang's southern hospitality for a while? you might like it.... lol

about songkhla.... the savage south....! wow.... that is new to me and shocking too, to hear such reference.... well, any way there are at least six farangs who choose to live there for over 10 yrs now.... most are europeans though, the last time i saw them was two years ago, they all looked healthy and very tanned to the n-th degree with their thai ladies by their sides.... well, it did not look like a savage south to me at the time.... but conditions could have changed since then too....

any way, surely wish you a happy time in thailand wherever you choose to stay ok? many of us are having a grand time in thailand even though

it is a small country and is classified as a third world developing country at best.... in spite of all its shortcomings and imperfection, many like myself do not mind much at all, at all the inconveniences of getting in and out of the country just so we can stay on and enjoy our life to the fullest in thailand....

thank you very much thailand, i love you in spite of everything and most of all thank you for allowing me and my family and many others to have the life that we choose to live according to what we deem fit.... without too much interferences from your uniformed servants.

anyone else that discovers a better place, pls kindly post such, so we may thank you forever for the new discovery.

C'mon folks! C'mon up to Phrae province...The provincial CEO K. Anuwat, is a good guy who welcomes foreigners and often asks advice. He has encouraged us to start a foreign residents association and has asked us for ideas to improve tourism etc. He explained to us, in a seminar that he arranged, that Thailand needs our collective experience and energy and he would support any "good" ideas we came up with!

We've met with him a few times and he appears to be genuine?

Phrae has "weather"...seasons even!

[CHAIYENYEN]

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 !

when i last looked around, most farangs have song loops. where did all the look kreungs come from......? at the zebra-crossings?

[asiaquakedb-tester]

So this is what came of the meeting between the Thai PM and the Bahrain PM:

Thai chicken deal boost for Bahrain

Appeared in today's Gulf Daily News, the national newspaper in Bahrain. By MANDEEP SINGH, Posted on » Friday, August 21, 2009

and some extracts from the article:

BAHRAIN is to buy 150,000 tonnes of chicken meat from Thailand every year for the next few years, it emerged yesterday. The deal, 50,000 tonnes of which has already been shipped, will mean Bahrain will re-export most of what it imports, to other countries in the region.

Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) and other members of the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association will be contributing to the exports and jointly make up the 150,000 tonnes of annual exports, said sources.

The CPF also signed a memorandum with Bahrain's Al Salam Bank on the possibility of joint investments in food and farm businesses, said a spokesman on the company's website.

An Industry and Commerce Ministry official in Bahrain would not comment on the report, but sources told the GDN the deal between Bahrain and Thailand was signed in June this year.

"While most of the imports will be re-exported to several other countries in the region, some of it will be retained for consumption in Bahrain," they said.

More details on Thailand's Halal Food Hub deal in Bahrain here (using Bahrain as their launch pad to entry into the rest of the Middle East):

http://www.alsalambahrain.com/Media_Centre...iance-a155.html

And Bosnia and Herzegovina are being used by Thailand as a launchpad for their EU Halal food hub

http://media.thaigov.go.th/pageconfig/view...;contents=34919

Smart people at the exports committee within the Thai government, they tapped Bahrain for their Mideast growth and Bosnia for their EU growth, all in a spate of less than 3 months

Edited August 21, 2009 by asiaquakedb-tester

[Rodders3000]

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

Ohh...how I agree with you lets get Mandy in...he's the unelected expert in everything he'd fix any political problems afterall he knows about finance especially interest free loans or is it bribes I can't quite remember.

He'd be in clover in Thailand and soon get to grips with any problems of crooked Falangs or Thais, he'd just start at the very top level and party his way down (slowly) the only problem I can see with getting him there is the money couldn't possibly be good enough to temp him away from Europe and the UK even if it included free flights, accomodation and ladyboys!

And by the way he was on a holiday / jollyday (free of course) but rumour has it he was keeping his head down?

[christcourt]

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.

Errrrrrr Teach them how to drive. Teach them how to use traffic lights etc etc hehehe Dooh!!!!

[cdnvic]

Thai traffic lights are simple to understand, they just mean different things here than in the west.

Green - Go

Yellow - Hurry

Red - Watch for cross traffic.

[baht&sold]

One can certainly understand the cause for 'some' concern here, but the supposed 'crackdown' appears mainly targeted towards 'transnational business consortiums' and others owning vast tracts of NE farmland.

Thus, it's extremely unlikely a 'door to door' type witch-hunt will ensue, seeking to ferret out every single plot of land bought via a foreigners wife or Co Ltd.

-One has to understand the players among the recent foreign land 'alarmists' and their true motivations.

One commonality behind the paranoia over foreign land grabs is the main authorities involved are from Thaksin era govt officials.

For example:

The Director General of the Land Department Mr Anuwat was appointed by Mr Thaksin's brother in-law's Govt just last Oct. Mr Anuwat caused quite a stir in May by stating "Land purchase through Thai spouse is forbidden and will be revoked if caught"... Nothing came from this broadside of course and no door to door or plot by plot foreign witch-hunt either.

The current noise is coming from Deputy permanent secretary for agriculture Mr Thawatchai, who was promoted in the 2004 Thaksin Govt. The current Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut comes from Mr Newin's faction, as do his deputies. All worked together in previous Thaksin Govts.

-What all these individuals also seem to share (beyond being backed by Mr Thaksin or Mr Newin's camps) is a shared philosophy of 'protecting farmers' (or more specifically, protecting their VOTES). Some might add, they also appear to share a desire to protect fiefdoms/thiefdoms in their main vote-growing region of Isaan...

It's highly unlikely the Democrat Govt has a hand in these ongoing 'stir-ups' but they also lack the power to un-do Mr Thaksin's still thriving network of appointed authorities or to stop Mr Newin's faction from continuing to fan the flames of xenophobia in exchange for rural popularity...

Thus, unless one is buying large tracts of Isaan farmland for commercial use, it's extremely unlikely the avg foreigner will be subject to any witch-hunts or revocation. Besides, consider the courts would be swamped and it would make headlines around the world (ie; NOT gonna happen).

Unfortunately certain politicians prefer to dish out temporary 'populism' to rural voters (instead of REAL lasting or actual progress), also raising the 'foreign-fear' card always works to boost the rural poor voter base.

This all combines to make it difficult for the Foreign Chambers of Commerce in their lobby for loosening other restrictions for foreigners. Abhisit & Korn have been receptive to the Foreign Chambers lobby but then it stops at Newin's controlling faction's doorstep.

The same applies to large multinationals such as Tesco's, Carrefour etc via the Retail Business Act. Just like previous Thaksin-backed govts, look for Mr Newin's faction to try and put handcuffs on large multinational retailers upcoming. Mom n pop shops would be 'protected' in trapped obsolescence as a result but mai pen rai, as long as it gets votes via making politicians appear to be 'defenders against the invading foreigners'...

Ultimately, politicians deem their bondslave-esque Isaan voters must be kept 'protected' (or trapped for political convenience some might say...) which makes all else possible for certain politicians REAL interests...

[steveromagnino]

I sometimes wish Thailand had been colonised by an imperial power, in which case the general population would be much better educated, there would be a better legal system in place, much less corrupting the procedures for the benefit of others, and the ability to look at and use other peoples ideas. We would also see better architecture, better town planning (how about making some parks and local services as well as building profitable condos), etc.

Yes, if only we had the strong economy and political choices of Burma, Laos and Cambodia ;-)

Given the sorry state of Africa, much of Asia and the mess in Pakistan, Central America etc, one might really question whether being a colony of the english is necessarily a good thing. After all....you could say Singapore is the most developed country in the region and they got there without any assistance of being a colony - as I recall they declared independence from an independent Malaysia in the 60s.

Agree with all the points, just not sure that being a colony necessarily gets you there any faster.

[Thai at Heart]

One can certainly understand the cause for 'some' concern here, but the supposed 'crackdown' appears mainly targeted towards 'transnational business consortiums' and others owning vast tracts of NE farmland.

Thus, it's extremely unlikely a 'door to door' type witch-hunt will ensue, seeking to ferret out every single plot of land bought via a foreigners wife or Co Ltd.

-One has to understand the players among the recent foreign land 'alarmists' and their true motivations.

One commonality behind the paranoia over foreign land grabs is the main authorities involved are from Thaksin era govt officials.

For example:

The Director General of the Land Department Mr Anuwat was appointed by Mr Thaksin's brother in-law's Govt just last Oct. Mr Anuwat caused quite a stir in May by stating "Land purchase through Thai spouse is forbidden and will be revoked if caught"... Nothing came from this broadside of course and no door to door or plot by plot foreign witch-hunt either.

The current noise is coming from Deputy permanent secretary for agriculture Mr Thawatchai, who was promoted in the 2004 Thaksin Govt. The current Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut comes from Mr Newin's faction, as do his deputies. All worked together in previous Thaksin Govts.

-What all these individuals also seem to share (beyond being backed by Mr Thaksin or Mr Newin's camps) is a shared philosophy of 'protecting farmers' (or more specifically, protecting their VOTES). Some might add, they also appear to share a desire to protect fiefdoms/thiefdoms in their main vote-growing region of Isaan...

It's highly unlikely the Democrat Govt has a hand in these ongoing 'stir-ups' but they also lack the power to un-do Mr Thaksin's still thriving network of appointed authorities or to stop Mr Newin's faction from continuing to fan the flames of xenophobia in exchange for rural popularity...

Thus, unless one is buying large tracts of Isaan farmland for commercial use, it's extremely unlikely the avg foreigner will be subject to any witch-hunts or revocation. Besides, consider the courts would be swamped and it would make headlines around the world (ie; NOT gonna happen).

Unfortunately certain politicians prefer to dish out temporary 'populism' to rural voters (instead of REAL lasting or actual progress), also raising the 'foreign-fear' card always works to boost the rural poor voter base.

This all combines to make it difficult for the Foreign Chambers of Commerce in their lobby for loosening other restrictions for foreigners. Abhisit & Korn have been receptive to the Foreign Chambers lobby but then it stops at Newin's controlling faction's doorstep.

The same applies to large multinationals such as Tesco's, Carrefour etc via the Retail Business Act. Just like previous Thaksin-backed govts, look for Mr Newin's faction to try and put handcuffs on large multinational retailers upcoming. Mom n pop shops would be 'protected' in trapped obsolescence as a result but mai pen rai, as long as it gets votes via making politicians appear to be 'defenders against the invading foreigners'...

Ultimately, politicians deem their bondslave-esque Isaan voters must be kept 'protected' (or trapped for political convenience some might say...) which makes all else possible for certain politicians REAL interests...

Very enlightening.

Thanks very much.

[ding]

They should worry about Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge Ltd. (bermuda tax haven) et al.

See the film, FOOD INC. if you want to avoid the true take over of farming in any country. It is over and done with in America. It's why Americans are ill and obese.

clip of this MUST SEE film:

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=food...emb=0&aq=f#

Charoen Pokphand Group in Thailand

Potash Group in Canada

Syngenta AG in Switzerland

The food has no flavor in America anymore. A bag of chips is now cheaper than a head of real lettuce here. Meat is cheaper per pound than broccoli. A scapegoat and a distraction is needed as the huge and powerful corporations wrap their tentacles around the globe.

Brazil is now the biggest toxin user. Enjoy!

Edited August 24, 2009 by ding