Its Very Easy For Thais In The Usa

[TheJoker12]

My wife has a 10 year multiple entry 6 month at a time visa to the USA and she just bought a home there.

In order to purchase a house what she needed besides the funds was:

Her passport

A pen for her signature

-----

Makes it clear why Thailand is so behind the world and makes me appreciate American free business and capitalism.

[bunta71]

If I were the King of America I would not allow citizens of a nation that doesn't allow Americans to own land,etc., to own any in America...bet things would change here.

[fiddlehead]

Is it possible you are jealous?

I think it's pretty wise of this culture to ban foreigners from owning land.

Do you know who now owns the Chrysler building in New York City?

[Naam]

"My wife has a 10 year multiple entry 6 month at a time visa to the USA and she just bought a home there. In order to purchase a house what she needed besides the funds was: Her passport A pen for her signature"

any tourist wouldn't need more.

[bunta71]

Not jealous IMHO, just want to be King. Simply owning a small plot where you could build a house (employing a few people in the process ) would not be the end of Thailand . Not sure about the Chrysler Bldg. Definitely not worried about it.

[TheJoker12]

This is silly. Free markets create wealth. If the other countries are stupid enough to make it hard for foriegners to invest there, they will slow their own economic progress.

If I were the King of America I would not allow citizens of a nation that doesn't allow Americans to own land,etc., to own any in America...bet things would change here.

[longball53098]

Yes, I for one, am very jealous of this fact. I would love to own my little piece of this planet here in LOS. But do we really own anything? Aren't we really just paying rent on the land for the brief period we exist in this life?

Yes, very wise to adopt a protectionist way of doing business. America should do the same thing. In the beginning it was free and open to anyone that could sail or swim there and claim the land for themselves. Now we welcome anyone with deep pockets willing to pay.

Thailand could still protect the land and figure a way to allow foreigners to "own" a piece of it and make money in the process if the big power people really wanted to.

[bunta71]

This is silly. Free markets create wealth. If the other countries are stupid enough to make it hard for foriegners to invest there, they will slow their own economic progress.

If I were the King of America I would not allow citizens of a nation that doesn't allow Americans to own land,etc., to own any in America...bet things would change here.

I agree with you Joker.My point is that putting a little pressure and effecting change can be a good thing.

[TheJoker12]

"Is it possible you are jealous?"

Of course I am jealous. You aren't? You must really enjoy filling out applications!

[TheJoker12]

Notleaving anything for the kids, eh?

Yes, I for one, am very jealous of this fact. I would love to own my little piece of this planet here in LOS. But do we really own anything? Aren't we really just paying rent on the land for the brief period we exist in this life?

Yes, very wise to adopt a protectionist way of doing business. America should do the same thing. In the beginning it was free and open to anyone that could sail or swim there and claim the land for themselves. Now we welcome anyone with deep pockets willing to pay.

Thailand could still protect the land and figure a way to allow foreigners to "own" a piece of it and make money in the process if the big power people really wanted to.

[bunta71]

So who owns the Chrysler Bldg.?

[gotlost]

So who owns the Chrysler Bldg.?

Abu Dhabi Investment Council

[a2396]

USA has been busy selling themselves off to foreign interests for decades. Probably the Chinese will own them soon. Individual property ownership by foreigners in Thailand is a bit to restrictive, but at least they (the Thai govt) are aware of the dangers of selling off the country wholesale to non-Thais.

[bunta71]

Never was a Chrysler fan anyway

[barryofthailand]

This is one of the reasons that the USA is the greatest nation on earth. Lets hope Obama doesn't get the chance to change that.

Barry

[anchan42]

What is a chance of having lot of Thais going to the US and buy lots and lots of properties, push the price over the roof and left nothing for the local there?

[Heng]

Agree it's easy but IMO it's not good for the country as a whole. Endless social security/welfare/etc. funds being drained out of US coffers. Endless unpaid and under reported taxes (often instead sent/saved/invested abroad). And of course an inroad for even more immigrants in the future who most likely will repeat the process.

Fortunately, it's not a national team sport (except for at the Olympics) as to who has it easier and who can make the best of a particular situation (it's an individual and at most a family sport) unless you happen to be on the crap end of the deal... whereas it's perhaps in your best interest to complain about the "better" interests of an entire nation.

[gotlost]

As in the US any foreigner can buy and own property if that land or property is destroyed or damaged by an act that would be compensated by the US government, hurricane, floods,wild fires etc.. The foreign owners are not eligible for assistance. You have to be a US citizen.

[a2396]

This is one of the reasons that the USA is the greatest nation on earth. Lets hope Obama doesn't get the chance to change that.

Barry

I think he has come rather late in the game to be pulling any chestnuts out of the fire. Unfortunately, USA has had little, if any, visionary policies to prevent the situation they now find themselves in. Many of these downward (economic) trends have been going on for 30-40 years.

[StreetCowboy]

Is it possible you are jealous?

I think it's pretty wise of this culture to ban foreigners from owning land.

Do you know who now owns the Chrysler building in New York City?

The Government must be quaking in their boots for fear that the owners run off with it

But to answer your question, I don't know. I bet its not a New Yorker.

SC

[TheJoker12]

i don't for one second buy into the argument that allowing foriegn investment in thailand without 100 burning hoops to jump through is somehow protecting the thai people. if you look at the worlds wealthiest nations, they have something in common which is open free market capitalism. The Thai people do not benefit from these isolationist policies.

[Heng]

It's pretty easy if your company has significant capital. Hence the huge number of industrial estates catering to such firms. A lot easier to track down than masses of individuals anxious to disappear into the woodwork (like a lot of immigrants in the west).

[thaihome]

Actually a little bit of research shows there are a lot of limitations to foreign property ownership in the US:

Found this Link

IV. Summary of State Statutes Restricting Foreign Ownership of Property

There are a number of States which have adopted statutory restrictions on foreign ownership of real property. Generally, these restrictions vary in scope and severity, with some States having nearly general prohibitions on alien land ownership, and others only limiting alien acquisition of Stateowned lands. Three States require registration of foreign property ownership in certain situations. Sometimes the property rights of foreign corporations are restricted. The fourth section of this report will summarize these various State statutes.

A. State Statutes Restricting Foreign Ownership of Property

ALASKA STATUTES § 38.05.190. No aliens, other than those who have declared

their intent to become citizens, may acquire exploration and mining

rights on State lands unless their nation grants reciproc~l rights to

United States citizens. Corporations may not acquire such rights if 50

percent or more of their stock is owned by unqualified aliens.

ARKANSAS STATUTES § 10-926. An alien who is not naturalized may not obtain

from the State a deed to tax-forfeited agricultural lands.

CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE § 6801. Leases and prospecting permits on

public lands can be issued only to persons or associations of persons

who are United States citizens, or who have declared their intent to become

U.S. citizens, or whose country grants a reciprocal right by

treaty. Foreign corporations are eligible to hold such leases and

permits only if 90 percent or more of their shares are owned by eligible

CRS"'32

persons or corporations.

CONNECTICUT GENERAL STATUTES §§ 45"'278. 47...57 &47"'58. Nonresident aliens

may not. generally. acquire or hold real property within the State of

Connecticut. Exceptions are made for citizens of France. as long as

France provides reciprocal rights. and for all nonresidents who use the

property for "quarrying. mining. dressing or smelting ores ••• or converting

the products of such quarries and mines into articles of trade

and commerce." If a .Legatee. distributee. or beneficiary is not a resident

of the United States and would not. therefore. be entitled to

benefit from property bequeathed or devised. the probate court may hold

the property for the benefit of that person.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CODE §§ 29-201. 29-902. 45-1501 &48 UNITED STATES CODE

§ 1501"'1503. Aliens have the same property rights in the District of

Columbia as they have in the territories of the United States. Land in

the territories of the United States may be owned only by citizens. resident

aliens and aliens who have declared their intent to become citizens.

Foreign corporations have the same rights as domestic corporations.

but neither may be organized specifically "to buy. sell. or deal in real

estate. except ocorporations to transact the business ordinarily carried

on by real estate agents or brokers."

HAWAII REVISED STATUTES §§ 171"'68. 206-9. Aliens who have not declared their

intent to become citizens and resided in the State for at least five

years may not acquire certain subsidized residential lots. Additionally.

CRS-33

the law provides that the purchase or lease of lands under the authority

of the Board of Land and Natural Resources may be restricted to residents

and to citizens.

IDAHO CODE § 58-313. Aliens who have not declared their intent to become

citizens may not purchase Idaho State lands.

ILLINOIS STATUTES, CHAPTER 6 §§ 1, 2. While aliens may purchase or inherit

land in the State of Illinois, they must sell or otherwise dispose of

it to a citizen within six years or it is sold by the State, which will

take the proceeds.

I

NDIANA CODE §§ 32-1-7-1, 32-1-8-2. Aliens may generally acquire and convey

real estate in Indiana, but if an alien acquires more than 320 acres,

the property must be disposed of within five years of its acquisition

or of the alien's eighteenth birthday, unless the alien becomes a citizen.

The penalty is escheat of the lands to the State.

IOWA CODE §§ 172C.5 et ~., 567.1, 567.2. Aliens may generally acquire without

restriction land within the corporate limits of an Iowa city or

town, or up to 640 acres of land outside such corporate limits. Nonresident

aliens mayhold real property in Iowa if acquired by the laws of

descent, if the country of that alien's citizenship provides a reciprocal

right. Property acquired by devise or descent must be disposed

of within twenty years, under penalty of escheat.

For five years following August 15, 1975, no corporation, foreign

or domestic, may acquire or lease, directly or indirectly, agricultural

land in Iowa.

CRS-34

KANSAS STATUTES §§ 17-5901, 59-511. Aliens ineligible for citizenship may

own property in Kansas, but may only inherit it as provided by United

States treaty.

Generally, corporations may not engage in the business of agriculture

or horticulture, but certain domestic corporations in which all of

the incorporators are natural persons residing in the State may own up

to 5,000 acres of land and engage in certain agricultural and horticultural

activities.

KENTUCKY REVISED STATUTES §§ 27lA.705, 381.300 to 381.330. Aliens who have

declared their intent to become citizens may acquire or inherit land

but, if the alien h&d not become a citizen within eight years, he or

she must dispose of the land, under penalty of escheat. A resident

alien may take and hold land as a residence or business for up to twentyone

years.

No corporation can hold any real estate for a period of more than

five years, except as may be proper and necessary for carrying on its

legitimate business.

MINNESOTA STATUTES §§ 500.24, 500.221. Only citizens and aliens who are permanent

residents may acquire agricultural land within the State of Minnesota.

Nonresidents who acquire agricultural land through foreclosure,

devise, or inheritance must dispose of it within three years.

No domestic or foreign corporation may acquire an interest in Minnesota

agricultural land, unless eighty percent (80%) of its stock is

held by U.S. citizens.

CRS-35

MISSISSIPPI CODE §§ 29-1-75, 89-1-23, MISSISSIPPI STATE CONSTITUTION ARTICLE

4, SECTION 84(19). The Mississippi State Constitution requires the legislature

to enact laws to "limit, restrict, or prevent" non-resident aliens

from owning Mississippi lands. The statutory law of Mississippi provides

that nonresident aliens who have not declared their intent to become

citizens may not, generally, hold real estate in Mississippi, under penalty

of escheat. Such disqualified persons may, however, hold real property

to secure a debt and, citizens of Lebanon or Syria may acquire

Mississippi property through inheritance.

Nonresident aliens and corporations composed, in whole or in part,

of nonresident aliens may not acquire, directly or indirectly, Mississippi

public lands.

MISSOURI REVISED STATUTES §§ 442.560 to 442.592. Nonresident aliens and foreign

corporations may not acquire or hold more than five acres of agricultural

land in Missouri, and lands acquired by such persons must

be divested within two years.

No corporation, domestic or foreign, may hold agricultural land

or engage in farming, directly or indirectly.

MONTANA REVISED CODES § 91A-2-111. The right of an alien to inherit

real estate is dependent upon a reciprocal right afforded United States

citizens by the alien's nation of citizenship.

NEBRASKA REVISED STATUTES §§ 76-402 to 76-414. Aliens may acquire and hold

title to land within three miles of a village, but any other land to

which they may acquire title must be sold after five years. Corporations

CRS-36

may hold Nebraska land within the city limits of a city or village or

within three miles of those limits, and as required for manufacturing

plants, petroleum service stations, public utilities, common carriers,

or bulk stations.

Corporations not incorporated in Nebraska may hold no land if a

majority of their directors. executive officers or stockholders are

nonresident aliens.

NEVADA REVISED STATUTES § 134-230. Nonresident aliens may not inherit land

in Nevada unless their country of citizenship affords U.S. citizens

reciprocal rights.

NEW HAMPSHIRE REVISED STATUTES §§ 477.20 & 477.21. Nonresident aliens may

not take or convey real property in the State of New Hampshire.

NEW JERSEY STATUTES. TITLE 3A § 25-10. Where it appears that a nonresident

alien legatee, beneficiary, or heir. would not have the benefit and

control over New Jersey property passing to such alien, the New Jersey

court may hold the property for the benefit of the alien

NEW MEXICO STATE CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE II, SECTION 22. Under the New Mexico

State Constitution, aliens "ineligible to citizenship under the laws of

the United States" and corporations in which a majority of the stock is

owned by such aliens are not permitted to acquire any interest in real

estate, unless otherwise provided by law. A New Mexico prior statute

which prOVides that "foreigners" may otherwise hold land has been

interpreted as inapplicable to nonresident aliens. N. M. Code § 70-1-24;

1929-30 Atty. Gen. Ope 11.

CRS-37

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTES § 64-3. The right of a nonresident alien to

inherit North Carolina properties is dependent upon a reciprocal right

under the law of that person's country.

NORTH DAKOTA CENTURY CODE § 10-06-01. No corporation, domestic or foreign,

may engage in the businesses of farming and agriculture.

OKLAHOMA STATUTES TITLE 18 §§ 1.20, 951 to 953, and TITLE 60 §§ 121-124.

No aliens except ~ ~ residents may hold title to land in Oklahoma,

and any land held by nonresident aliens must be disposed of within five

years of acquisition.

No corporation can own real estate within the State located outside

of an incorporated city or town, except as necessary and proper for the

carrying out of the corporation's activities, owned through foreclosure,

acquired for lease or sale, or held only titularly. Property acquired

through foreclosure must be disposed of within seven years.

No foreign corporations may be organized to own fa~land in Oklahoma

nor to engage in farming.

OREGON REVISED STATUTES § 273.255 & 517.010. Aliens who have not declared

their intent to become citizens may not acquire real estate in Oregon.

PENNSYLVANIA STATUTES, TITLE 68 § 32. Aliens may not hold land exceeding

5,000 acres nor producing a net annual income of $20,000 in the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania.

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 3, SECTION 35, AND SOUTH CAROLINA

CODE § 27-13-30. The Constitution of the State of South Carolina requires

the legislature to enact laws limiting the number of acres an

CRS-38

alien or foreign corporation may own in the State. Under State statutes.

aliens and alien-controlled corporations may not hold more than 500.000

acres of land within the State of South Carolina. except for acquisition

by foreclosure. Land in excess of the 500.000 acre limitation must be

disposed of within five years of acquisition.

SOUTH DAKOTA COMPILED LAWS § 47-9A. Neither foreign nor domestic corporations

may own farmland in the State of South Dakota.

TEXAS REVISED CIVIL STATUTES, ART. 1302-4.01 to 1302-4.06. Neither domestic

nor foreign corporations may own land in Texas, beyond that required to

do business. and excess lands must be disposed of within fifteen years

of acquisition.

WISCONSIN STATUTES § 710.02. A nonresident alien or corporation in which

twenty percent (20%) or more of the stock is held by nonresident aliens

cannot hold more than 640 acres of land in Wisconsin, unless acquired

by foreclosure or inheritance.

WYOMING STATUTES § 34-15-101. Nonresident aliens ineligible for citizenship

may not own, acquire, possess or transfer real property in the State of

Wyoming, unless the foreign country of which such individual is a citizen

affords reciprocal rights of ownership to United States citizens.al r i g h t s of ownership to United S t a t e s c i t i z e n s .

[a2396]

i don't for one second buy into the argument that allowing foriegn investment in thailand without 100 burning hoops to jump through is somehow protecting the thai people. if you look at the worlds wealthiest nations, they have something in common which is open free market capitalism. The Thai people do not benefit from these isolationist policies.

Yes, we can all see the benefits of unrestricted capitalism (mostly) and free trade have brought for the American economy. Europe not far behind.

[bonobo]

So who owns the Chrysler Bldg.?

Abu Dhabi Investment Council

And how does that really matter to anyone?  Does it affect me at all if some rich Americans or Arabs or Japanese or Canadians or whomever owns a specific building?  Will the building magically float across the ocean to Abu Dhabi along with the land it is on, thereby taking anything away from the USA?

It doesn't matter who is on the title, the bulding and land are staying right where they are.  

[kikoman]

I left Mexico, because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), That allowed American Realtors to buy up all the available land around Puerto Penasco Sonora, with the dream of making it in to the Acapulco of the north. Driving the cost of living sky high, that it became foolish to live there anymore.

Thailand is doing the right thing protecting the property rights of her people. by not allowing foreigners to own land here.

Americans do not own the majority of the land in their country, it is now foreign owned.

Cheers;

[Travel2003]

So who owns the Chrysler Bldg.?

Abu Dhabi Investment Council

And how does that really matter to anyone?  Does it affect me at all if some rich Americans or Arabs or Japanese or Canadians or whomever owns a specific building?  Will the building magically float across the ocean to Abu Dhabi along with the land it is on, thereby taking anything away from the USA?

It doesn't matter who is on the title, the bulding and land are staying right where they are.  

Exactly.

Which is why it is nothing less than moronic to not allow foreigners to own land here in Thailand.

All one needs to do is simply regulate (or zoning) the land, to make sure it is used for only certain things (within the rules and regulations).

[Heng]

It doesn't matter who is on the title, the building and land are staying right where they are.  

Now if only more people would take that attitude in divorce court then there would be so much less to squabble over.

[bonobo]

In 1990, a Japanese businessman paid $841 million for Pebble Beach, the ultimate US golf course.  He sold it to another Japanese company  a few years later, and they sunk over 1$100 million into bringing the course back into shape.  Then, in 1999, three Americans (inlcuding CLint Eastwood) bought it again for $820 million.  So foreign ownership is not always a bad thing, and it can actually resurrect distressed properties.

[anchan42]

This is one of the reasons that the USA is the greatest nation on earth. Lets hope Obama doesn't get the chance to change that.

Barry