Seeking Property Lawyer in Bangkok - Buying Condo

[RoboLB]

Hi,

My wife and I are buying a condo in Bangkok. It is almost complete and we need to start preparing to pay the balance of funds, signing contracts etc.

I am used to buying property in Australia, where the normal thing is to appoint a solicitor or 'conveyancer' to assist in the process. They ensure contracts are all OK, that no new motorways are about to be built through the property, that the seller is legit etc. They also deal wit the step by step process of getting the contracts signed, payments made etc.

When I asked my wife about this for Thailand, she said people just do it themselves!

Sorry, but I am not about to hand over $150,000+ without someone assisting in the process, who knows what they are doing and making all the appropriate checks on the process.

So..........

I need a lawyer to do this for us............

Can anyone recommend someone?

Or is my wife correct, that lawyers in Thailand don't normally get involved in this!

Regards

Robo

[cassde]

I have just purchased a condo myself and used Emile de Marsac (a Brit lawyer) of McWalden and Bailey with an office at Nana (One Pacific Place 15/floor). Tel:02 653 2037.

Their fees are extremely competitive and the work completed in a timely fashion. Well recommended.

[Satcommlee]

Stay away from Expat lawyer wannabe's or over aggressive advertisers... plenty of reputable Thai firms that will assist and never take a recommendation from the company/person you are buying off.

[Khun Jean]

In Thailand you have to do your own due diligence.

ceveat emptor x 100

Sure you can get a lawyer, he probably tells you what you want to hear for a price.

Then if what he told you is not 'complete' you will have to bear the consequences, the lawyer bears none.

[bkksiam]

I highly recommend Joel from McWalden Bailey.

I did a lot of research and sent out a lot of emails before I selected him. He was prompt, reliable, very affordable, thorough and knowledgeable.

personal email removed, please use the PM system

He /his firm can do a property inspection, revise the purchase and sale agreement to protect YOUR interests, hold a deposit in trust (instead of sending it to seller-yikes!), set up your electricity accounts , prepare a will in thai/english and accompany you to the land office.

I felt that Joel went beyond "the call off duty" in his services and that, for the price I paid, I got an excellent deal.

[SantiSuk]

If you are buying a new condo I would be very surprised if your lawyer is going to be able to change the standard contract that the developer is using. Likely to be a take it or leave it attitude from the other side. Anyone is welcome to counter-say me if you have experience of doing so.

I did not bother lawyering up when I bought a Bangkok condo, but I don't recommend that as a policy if you cannot afford to lose a big proportion of the purchase price. Somehow it seems safer buying a mainstream condo from a mainstream developer (I did do DD on the developer and its previous developments - visited a couple and waited until a falang or two came out then asked them about their experiences living there and in the case of owners, owning there). I would not buy a house without involving a lawyer, even if the coverage is not 100% as suggested by other posters

[RoboLB]

Stay away from Expat lawyer wannabe's or over aggressive advertisers... plenty of reputable Thai firms that will assist and never take a recommendation from the company/person you are buying off.

So can you recommend one?

[RoboLB]

Thanks Guys. Will follow up some of the recommendations