Sor Por Kor

[ShugNorris]

Hi,

I am down in South Thailand and looking to purchase some land here.

There is some land very reasonably priced with rubber trees ready to cut and thus make money back immediately - seems like a good investment and I have experienced rubber farmers in the family.

A couple of questions though, as the topic suggests the land is Sor Por Kor title and we don't know the sellers personally. A reputable land agent here says it is a common way to buy and sell land but I would like to know the answer to these questions please!

1) Is it actually legal for the seller to sell the land?

2) If they sold the land to me, what proof of ownership or anything would we have? Could we arrange anything at all?

3) Does it get registered with the land office?

4) If not, what is to stop the original owner (who was given the land by the government) from resuming farming on the land if we had no legal rights to it?

5) Regarding obtaining a chanot in the future, would that be possible if we never received the land in the first place?

As in, if the certificate can be transferred is there an actual name on it?

Any other information or advice would be appreciated.

(The land would be purchased in Thai name)

Many thanks,

Shug

[InterestedObserver]

Sor Por Gor 4-01 (S.P.G.. 4-01), is an allotment of land from the Land Reformative Committee, and under no circumstance may this land be bought or sold. It confers the right to occupy only and be transferred only by inheritance. It seems that the land may be used for agriculture only.

If this is the type of possessory rights document you are talking about then you would be best to find some land with a proper Chanote. Having said that, Thais buy and sell land without a Land Department Title Deed all the time. If the documents don't have a red, green or black Garuda seal on them then you, as a foreigner, should steer clear.

Edited July 3, 2011 by InterestedObserver

[ShugNorris]

InterestedObserver,

Makes sense, that is what I was looking for really, I will take a pass on that kind of land, I'm sure it would probably be fine but it's not worth the risk, even for relatively cheap land.

Many thanks,

Shug