Dsi To Crack Down On Illegal Foreign-Run Businesses

[silsburyhill]

First off, again

Secondly, 'most Thais can't afford to travel'. No. But the disparity between the rich and the poor in this country ensures the much lower percentage, ie, the rich bastards running the show, are the ones able to afford it AND buy land and houses in our more civilised, less discriminatory countries. So a blanket ban on ALL Thais NOT being able to enjoy the same privileges in the West (except for Switzerland, apparently, but who are quite happy to stash illegally acquired loot and stay out of the wars from whence it came), very much in order.

[spidermike007]

quote

"Thailand is far from alone in not allowing foreigners to buy land. This is common in many poorer countries as well as some rich ones such as Switzerland."

A false analogy. Reasons are totally different. Do your research before finding "feelings" to apologize for which there is only one word: xenophobia.

This has been declared publicly by high officials of yore. Farangs are not to be trusted.

The country's blind wisdom drilled into this country's citizens is always the same: "Thai good, Farang bad". Farang being subliminally understood as anybody non-Thai. IE: Cambodians, Hmong, Burmese, etc.

Why then the distinction of cracking down on illegal activities by foreigners? Does it presupposes that illegal activities by Thais are OK?

I remember not long ago the experience of a poster whose wife wanted to stop her mother from trying to sell their land and home so that it would benefit the family. The poster wrote that they decided to use a legal instrument: a property Usufruct. That way the Thai wife would give the Farang husband land and home, thus silencing her mother. With the draft of the document he and his wife went to the Amphur official to get it signed by both, stamped and legalized. After reading it the chief of the Amphur refused to stamp it. This official's answer was that "it was not good for the country". The wife argued: "but we bought the property with his money!" "Not good for the country", he insisted.

Xenophobia is like a funnel: the wide side for Thailand, the narrow end for the Farangs.

fareng only applies to westerners. other asians are not considered farengs. for some reason it only applies to non-asians.

[Nisa]

I 100% agree with law forbidding foreigners owning land and would welcome a huge crackdown and force selling although I cant see it happening. Its not right to compare with NZ UK or elsewhere where foreigners buying property and land are 99% super rich buying mansions or huge estates which are totally out of reach of local normal citizens. I believe their is a law that allows foreigners to own property provided its over 40 million baht and I believe 1 Rai or less and if they imposed such a restriction of Thais for example in UK or NZ I doubt weather it would affect any thais at all since ones buying will be spending millions of GBP or NZ $. At this time one of very good things in Thailand is that even poor locals can afford a home and most in country actually own a bit of land. If you are a Thai and earn 10-15,000 baht a month you can buy a perfectly reasonable house (outside of BKK centre or other city centres) for around 50,000 baht down and 3-4000 baht a month. Government housing while not perfect is available but limited for very poor people at around 1,200-1,500 baht a month for 2 rooms kitchen and bathroom and that to buy not rent. The last thing Thailand needs is hordes of forangs buying land and houses all over place depriving locals of their own homes as has happened in many tourist spots in the world. If you are married to a thai or have a thai child it is perfectly acceptable for your thai family to own a property provided its clear it is theirs and under no circumstances can you make any claim on it. In this respect the Thai law needs to be tightened considerably to totally forbid any land or property in a Thai wifes name ever ever being considered at all part of husbands in case of divorce or separation. I am disgusted so many forang sign the paper at land office clearly stating it is his wifes money and he has no claim on it only for him to claim it in court when a divorce happens. I would 100% support a new watertight law totally stopping any court awarding any part of property to a forang in a divorce settlement. If after 16+ years now of marriage to a Thai wife we ever split I would never ever consider trying to claim part of her property or that of our Thai children's and yes she and our children do own property abroad our children have dual nationality but if USA or Uk decided to change law and prohibit thais owning property less than 40 million baht my wife would I assure you happily transfer ownership to me or one of our children. My wife and children have most of our Thai property in their names even condos which I can legally own as a forang and only condos in my name are those where forang quota is close to being used up or has been used up since then property in forang quota part is often more valuable and easier to sell.

One of the big reasons foreigners are not allowed to buy property in poorer countries is simply to not raise the price of land and make it beyond the reach of locals to buy. Anyone taken a look at new condo prices lately in Bangkok?

[garrfeild]

Please tell me what the country will be like without Foreigners and their money?....We are but a minority of the thousands of illegal businesses that are being run

So your admitting to running an illegal business in Thailand are you ?

[Oberkommando]

One of the big reasons foreigners are not allowed to buy property in poorer countries is simply to not raise the price of land and make it beyond the reach of locals to buy. Anyone taken a look at new condo prices lately in Bangkok?

The real reason of course being is who owns the majority of the land in Thailand and the fact that, and I quote the National Anthem, "Every inch of Thailand belongs to the Thais".

It would be an affront for the Thais to allow any foreign ownership of their lands, such is the deep-rooted xenophobia and nationalism here.

[Nisa]

quote

"Thailand is far from alone in not allowing foreigners to buy land. This is common in many poorer countries as well as some rich ones such as Switzerland."

A false analogy. Reasons are totally different. Do your research before finding "feelings" to apologize for which there is only one word: xenophobia.

LMAO ... and the research you came up with to determine it is xenophobia ... the curmudgeons

on Thai Visa?

Also, I didn't give a reason but when it comes to less developed and poorer countries it is about not inflating the cost of land beyond the reach of locals ... plain and simple.

[Dave9000]

Thailand has a 3rd world economy, with 3rd world levels of corruption and a political mindset which allows this to happen. To compare Thailand to New Zealand, or Australia or the US or any other country with the 'developed' title, is akin to comparing a motor car to a TV. It is a futile statistical exercise.

However the oft cited importance of falangs and their money to the Thai economy is is a false credit. Take foreign investment away from NZ, Australia, the USA or any other developed country and you end up with Greece. 50,000 foreigners each with 2 million baht is pocket change on a national level and the money would hardly be missed if it was gone; even in Thailand.

As for the treatment of falangs, it seems to me it is not so bad. At times it is inconvenient but rarely is it bad. To paraphrase that dolt G W Bush, 'The government is elected to look after its own citizens, not the citizens of another country'.

[xenophon]

Last time they tried something like this, the Japanese chamber of commerce and the stock exchange protested. In the face of threatened Japanese withdrawal, it was shelved and the foreign businesses act amended.

Have they spoken to these parties this time? Probably not.

[transam]

It's sort of sad how many expats apparently sit glued to their computers waiting for the next news item to be posted on ThaiVisa so that they can generate all the pointless bitter comments to be applauded & cheered on by others stewing in their own bitterness.

And your top of the list it seems eh.

[TAWP]

quote

"Thailand is far from alone in not allowing foreigners to buy land. This is common in many poorer countries as well as some rich ones such as Switzerland."

A false analogy. Reasons are totally different. Do your research before finding "feelings" to apologize for which there is only one word: xenophobia.

LMAO ... and the research you came up with to determine it is xenophobia ... the curmudgeons

on Thai Visa?

Also, I didn't give a reason but when it comes to less developed and poorer countries it is about not inflating the cost of land beyond the reach of locals ... plain and simple.

Nonsense, when the cost for some land and properties already is as if they were located in the west, the protection is for the rich thai only, not the poor.

[pisico]

quote

"Thailand is far from alone in not allowing foreigners to buy land. This is common in many poorer countries as well as some rich ones such as Switzerland."

A false analogy. Reasons are totally different. Do your research before finding "feelings" to apologize for which there is only one word: xenophobia.

This has been declared publicly by high officials of yore. Farangs are not to be trusted.

The country's blind wisdom drilled into this country's citizens is always the same: "Thai good, Farang bad". Farang being subliminally understood as anybody non-Thai. IE: Cambodians, Hmong, Burmese, etc.

Why then the distinction of cracking down on illegal activities by foreigners? Does it presupposes that illegal activities by Thais are OK?

I remember not long ago the experience of a poster whose wife wanted to stop her mother from trying to sell their land and home so that it would benefit the family. The poster wrote that they decided to use a legal instrument: a property Usufruct. That way the Thai wife would give the Farang husband land and home, thus silencing her mother. With the draft of the document he and his wife went to the Amphur official to get it signed by both, stamped and legalized. After reading it the chief of the Amphur refused to stamp it. This official's answer was that "it was not good for the country". The wife argued: "but we bought the property with his money!" "Not good for the country", he insisted.

Xenophobia is like a funnel: the wide side for Thailand, the narrow end for the Farangs.

fareng only applies to westerners. other asians are not considered farengs. for some reason it only applies to non-asians.

I think you mentally parsed the quote and did not pay attention to the entire phrase: "subliminally understoodas anybody non-Thai. IE: Cambodians, Hmong, Burmese, etc."

It is not a secret that citizens from those Asian countries have been treated harshly in the recent past and currently. If there has been a slow down on "cracking down" on these minorities has been due to an international outcry to stop the xenophobic policy.

None of what this thread is about has anything to do with applying the laws equally, otherwise from high Thai officials with millions of Bahts (of not proven provenance) in their closets to the local constables on patrol, they all would be in jail. Are they?

Question: if your assertion is true, why people from Australia and New Zealand are considered to be Farangs? The Thai word Farang is the name of a fruit of white pulp known in the West as Guava. According to your statement it applies to Westerners. However, neither country is in the West, but in the East. Therefore it stands to reason to gather that the term most likely applies to anyone who has a fair or white complexion and not necessarily to a Westerner. What do you think?

[arthurwait]

while human traffickers had brought Chinese prostitutes into Thailand.

So they're saying that this business above is reserved for Thais under the Foreign Business Act, and they don't want any non-Thais illegally competing??? Makes sense to me....

All those Russian and African girls on Sukhumvit every night must be tourists. I must have misunderstood the girls in Burkas shouting prices at us as well.

[Apecks]

Please tell me what the country will be like without Foreigners and their money?....We are but a minority of the thousands of illegal businesses that are being run

Like Burma I would imagine

[Apecks]

quote

"Thailand is far from alone in not allowing foreigners to buy land. This is common in many poorer countries as well as some rich ones such as Switzerland."

A false analogy. Reasons are totally different. Do your research before finding "feelings" to apologize for which there is only one word: xenophobia.

LMAO ... and the research you came up with to determine it is xenophobia ... the curmudgeons

on Thai Visa?

Also, I didn't give a reason but when it comes to less developed and poorer countries it is about not inflating the cost of land beyond the reach of locals ... plain and simple.

Nonsense, when the cost for some land and properties already is as if they were located in the west, the protection is for the rich thai only, not the poor.

The chinese thai's don't like the idea of competion from us. Hell we might even mix with the natives and send the kids to university.

Then they would have to think of another law to stop them being MP's.

[arthurwait]

fareng only applies to westerners. other asians are not considered farengs. for some reason it only applies to non-asians.

Farang means the fruit Guava not foreigner as many believe. It's slang for white person in origin how it's regarded now by some maybe different.

It's saying our flesh is the same colour as a guavas flesh.

[Nisa]

One of the big reasons foreigners are not allowed to buy property in poorer countries is simply to not raise the price of land and make it beyond the reach of locals to buy. Anyone taken a look at new condo prices lately in Bangkok?

The real reason of course being is who owns the majority of the land in Thailand and the fact that, and I quote the National Anthem, "Every inch of Thailand belongs to the Thais".

It would be an affront for the Thais to allow any foreign ownership of their lands, such is the deep-rooted xenophobia and nationalism here.

You reasoning is flawed as your translation is flawed. That is not a literal translation from the Thai National Anthem. There is no easy literal translation but the part you speak of is: bpen bra-cha rat .. pha thai kawng thai thuk suan

bpen = is

bra-cha = of the people

rat = state or region

phathai = land

kawng = belongs

thai = Thai

thuk = every

suan = part

Not one of these words translates to anything close to the word "inch" and as you know, the common translation used is .... "Nation of the people, belonging to Thais in every respect."

Of course this is not anything to do with national pride that is the basis of every National Anthem I know but of course xenophobia because they didn't talk about foreigners being part of the nation ... won't even get too into the fact that the anthem was co-wrote by a foreigner Peter Feit aka Phra Jenduriyang.

[arthurwait]

Please tell me what the country will be like without Foreigners and their money?....We are but a minority of the thousands of illegal businesses that are being run

Like Burma I would imagine

Big multinational business leaving would affect things.

Foreign expats all with drawing wouldn't make much of an impact at all to the Thai economy. How many already are with their currency failing against the baht. Expats money here is bugger all.Tourism makes up 9% of the economy. Ex pats contribution compared to that is minimal.

If the Thai Chinese all left the country with their money, the country would be one absolutely screwed.

[jalansanitwong]

If it werent for all foreigners Thailand would still be a 3rd world backwater like Laos ,Burma and Cambodia. Every year the Thais come out with these stupid crackdowns on foreigners . Maybe they should clean up there own local mess rather than blame us for everything.

Edited January 1, 2012 by jalansanitwong

[473geo]

"Illegal foreign run business"

Get legal or risk the consequences..........your choice

Carry on DSI

[marquess]

If you buy something with your money and sign a paper that you have no right to it, then it is just the same as throwing a fist full of cash off a balcony and hoping that a lucky gust of wind will bring it back to you. I would only invest in buying a house or having a business here if I had dual nationality children, for then I know that something that will always be a part of me can have what I have worked for-- the idea of some greedy mother in-law or other family member getting their hands on my hard earned cash, prevents me from investing in anything here. Things will only get worse rather than better any time soon.

[sunjunkie56]

Are there any rich Farangs still here?

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[Naam]

Every year for the past 7 years at least, the same staement is made.

let's be precise and state "several times a year for the past seven years" yawwnnn...

[happysanook]

DSI to crack down on ALL illegal businesses. Why should there be an exception for foreign-run. Just before they are rich Farangs?

simply some of the most ignorant peoples on the earth. 99.9% of 'illegal' businesses in thailand are thai run.

see no evil if kohn thai involved. if farang, put them to the stake.

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[ROMANOBA]

As usual everything is' double' in Thailand.If a business is under a Thai nominee, well, it's NOT under a foreigner nominee, so it belongs to a thai citizen,period, so what's the problem??!

If a foreigner want to take the huge RISK of putting a business under a thai nominee, well, it s HIS risk, and it STILL is not his business.

Otherwise why not close all the hundred of thousand of companies set up by foreigners just in order to buy a house?

As usual, it's selective interpretation of existing laws which causes trouble in Thailand.

Suspicious activities does he mean well run.

Suspicious activities does he mean well run.

[ianf]

We don't need foreign gangsters in Thailand. We already have enough Thai gangsters; there voted in frequently.

they are!!!!!!!

[loonodingle]

They should start in walking street and all the girls who really don't look Thai dancing on windows. We all know the ones.

[voodoomagicman]

'human traffickers had brought Chinese prostitutes into Thailand', wow, we don't have enough already!

:-)

[jamescollister]

Everyone starts up every time a story like this comes up. Think people over the coming years are in for a shock. This is not really a law issue, it's a tax issue. People Thai and farang are not paying their taxes, as the computers get better at putting the bits together more and more dodgy businesses will come to light. This company nominee thing for house ownership is a prime example. How can some unseen nominee who probably has signed hundreds of share agreements and on paper owns millions of Baht in shares not get notice by the tax man for ever. Some of these house must get sold yet the nominee pays no tax on the profits. Would you be able to get away with it in your home country,no and Thailand will catch up with the west in it's tax collecting systems. Jim.

[limbos]

quote

"Thailand is far from alone in not allowing foreigners to buy land. This is common in many poorer countries as well as some rich ones such as Switzerland."

A false analogy. Reasons are totally different. Do your research before finding "feelings" to apologize for which there is only one word: xenophobia.

LMAO ... and the research you came up with to determine it is xenophobia ... the curmudgeons

on Thai Visa?

Also, I didn't give a reason but when it comes to less developed and poorer countries it is about not inflating the cost of land beyond the reach of locals ... plain and simple.

Nonsense, when the cost for some land and properties already is as if they were located in the west, the protection is for the rich thai only, not the poor.

The chinese thai's don't like the idea of competion from us. Hell we might even mix with the natives and send the kids to university.

Then they would have to think of another law to stop them being MP's.

Now here's a point!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

while human traffickers had brought Chinese prostitutes into Thailand.

So they're saying that this business above is reserved for Thais under the Foreign Business Act, and they don't want any non-Thais illegally competing??? Makes sense to me....

All those Russian and African girls on Sukhumvit every night must be tourists. I must have misunderstood the girls in Burkas shouting prices at us as well.

I was being sarcastic in my quoted comment above...

But in truth, for the foreign working girls you reference, it seems tourist visas are often their original means of entry into the country.

And then once they land, they become very hard working tourists who end up overstaying their permitted stay until someone somewhere catches up with them and/or the pimps they're working for don't provide enough payoff money to the proper people.