Foreign Land Ownership In Cr Municipality

[eljeque]

A friend of mine living in CR recently told me that he had learned that foreigners could own land in CR municipality.

I told him that to the best of my knowledge, foreigners not being allowed to own land in Thailand concerned every meter of the country, CR or not.

Has anyone every heard about this before?

Thanks

[gotlost]

Here we go again.

[skybluestu]

Perhaps he meant Costa Rica or Congo Republic because he certainly didn't mean Chiang Rai, Thailand.

[svenivan]

No special rules in Chiang Rai.

A foreigner cannot own land but you can own a house, have the housepaper with your name.

But a foreigner can start a company and that company can own land. But foreigners in that company cannot own more than 49 % of the company, Thai people must own at least 51 %.

[jayinoz]

Yes this has been discussed in length many times... no special rules anywhere in Thailand- one of the hardest countries to own land- here are the only ways I know;

1) Own 49% of a Thai company. Thai Co Ltd owns the Land and house. You can put the house in your name, not land.

2) Put land in Thai name (Preferably a person you can trust, would not recommend your gf unless 100% solid)... Register house in your name. Take out a 30 year lease and the land from the Thai person. This must be approved by the land office. It may not be approved.

3) I heard if you have over 40 mil bt invested in Thailand you entitled to up to 1 RAI of land- not sure if this is fact. 40 mil not possible or not wished by most.

4) Put in your Thai partners name. The very stable relationships simply do this...

5) Some have mentioned the 1 mil bt Elite Card used to allow you up to 1 Rai. Yet I heard the Elite card is being discontinued.

Either way I see all of the above a huge soverign risk. Be prepared to lose you money if implement any method in buying land\house in Thailand.

Simply listen to the national amthum saying 'every inch of thai land is only for Thais'. It may always be this way......

Condos safer- yet some soverign risk still exists in a politically unstable country.

One day they may see the light---- allow Farangs to buy up to a Rai and implement a higher Farang TAX. That would be acceptable and a HUGE extra tax income for the government. Yet they not that smart..... Their rich can buy what they wish from our homelands (In general). They missing out on a huge earner IMO.

[sceadugenga]

When I was in the PI there were legal firms there that would hold a foreigner's land in their name.

I know that it sounds dodgy but I knew a lot of people who had used this system and never once heard of it being abused, if a reputable company was used.

The land/house was always sold when the expat requested it and the money returned.

[DonaldBattles]

You may rest assured that the only the following can allow you to control land in Thailand. Others correct me if the know better.<div><br></div><div>1. 30 year lease (the option to renew is useless)</div><div>2. 51% Thai owned limited company. The law office providing stand ins to hold shares is risky.</div><div>3. Usefor this is where the owner gives you the right to use the property for balance of your life and your name is on the chanot deed..</div><div>4. A company approved by the government under the trade agreements.</div><div><br></div><div>It is best to remember that you can not legally own land in this country. Further, if you live next to a Thai who does not like you then you may ultimately have to move or they will make life so miserable for you that you will want to move.</div><div><br></div><div>Thai lawyers are at best legal clerks who fill out government forms. A person I know gave up her 50k per month job to go to work in the land office for 10k per month. I dare say that less than 1% of any cases by farangs coming before the courts are successful.</div>