Wanna buy a house in Thailand with your Thai wife / GF? Think twice and DON'T DO IT.

[gp2002]

For all you Foreigners thinking about getting involved in buying a house with your Thai wife or girlfriend.........think again and DON'T DO IT! My friends and family told me to be careful but stupid me didn't listen.

I made that mistake and trusted my EX believing that she would be fair and rational. Yeah right.....a Thai person who's fair and rational when it comes to money.

For three years I made ALL the mortgage payments on the house. Our relationship ended and now she refuses to give me any of the money that I paid towards the mortgage. Money that will be returned to her if or when she sells the house.

Typical Thai logic. She compares it to me paying RENT on a house instead of me paying money towards an investment.

If she had made any payments towards my car loan, I would have returned that money to her if I sold the car. It's only fair.

I see many posts about Foreigners interested in buying land, house, etc. Save yourself the trouble and don't do it.......especially if you have to get involved with a Thai to get the deal done.

[Hedghog]

I don't see an issue.

You have been paying rent with benefits.

Best foot forward move on.

[swissie]

Has been the general advice for Falangs for the last 30 years (or more).

But as I speak ( or write), come Monday, a dozend of Farangs will venture out to a far corner of Thailand with the intention to erect a mansion, if ever possible on family land (with or without proper land-papers.)

And why? My wife/GF is different from all the rest and the family is so nice to me !

Amen.

Cheers.

[Costas2008]

Sorry, OP, you are in the wrong country and you have the wrong mentality.

You buy a house for your wife, because you can't own it, so to please not only her but most of all yourself.

Don't listen to "Wym" (never buy, always rent).

Completely different to have your own place than living in somebody else's house.

But again, you would have been paying for the rent, anyway.

Now if you are unlucky, and things don't work out, the fault can always be from both sides.

Life always is carrying on.

If you were living in Europe or the USA and got divorced with kids, you would have got exactly what you are getting here, nothing.

From what you say, you didn't even put any money towards the initial buying, you only paid the bank.

And you have the cheek to ask for money back.

No my friend, it doesn't work that way, and you have no right to ask for any money.

Good Luck, with your next wife or G/f.

[i claudius]

Mt wife of 20 odd years owns our house our car has my pin no's in case anything happens to me ,just take out a 30 year lease then you cant be kicked out if it goes tits up , after 30 years most of us will be long dead ,also if anymoney is taken out of my accounts it pings up on my mobile ,so i know when its used .

A little common sense goes a long way.

[Mossfinn]

Gotta agree with the OP, every Thai woman are the same as the OP's......................... with no exception

Again, for the benefit of the tape

[wym]

I do qualify my "don't buy" - some are happy to pay for something as a gift and can well afford it.

Savvy businessmen with RE experience, solid legal knowledge and strong local connections may be another - RARE - exception.

Just the ordinary fools that think they are "investing" in connection with personal motives I keep trying to warn.

[thailiketoo]

Who would have thought it. All of the judges in my divorces in the West must have been Thai ladies. Funny they didn't look Thai and two really didn't look like ladies at all. Who would have thought it.

[Mossfinn]

If you were living in Europe or the USA and got divorced with kids, you would have got exactly what you are getting here, nothing.

Same, same, but different

[gp2002]

I compare it to my car loan.

If my loan is for four years. She makes six months worth of payments and I pay off the remaining 3.5 years. Now the car loan is paid off. A year later, I decide to sell the car.

I will pay her back for the payments that she made because it's the right thing to do.

[seajae]

wife was telling me about a retired pom(70 odd)that moved here and built a house on his "wifes"(50 odd) land and and lived there for 4 years then she threw him out and moved her thai husband back in with her. Mate, you are lucky you only made payments.

[dominique355]

Gee guys! You know one woman, one single Thai woman and that is enough to know how all other 30 million women in Thailand are!

My somewhat limited experience is different. I know about a dozen farang here in Thailand, married to a Thai woman and having their house in her name. Most of them for longer than 15 years. They have a family, kids, job etc.... a normal life.

Oh, and I count myself in the same category.

Nobody can guarantee that my marriage will last forever, I know. But I believe I know my wife after 16 years of marriage and I know, worst case scenario, I will loose the house. But think of the alternatives. Right.

Either you have to pay a rent or live in a condo.

The rent for a nice house in Bangkok would be around THB 60,000 pM. After 10 years you have spent a total of THB 7,2 mio. That's just about the value of the house. Except if you bought the house, you still have that value. If you rent, that money is gone. We bought the house, in her name. The kids have a home. Even if one day I am no longer there.

[gp2002]

Gee guys! You know one woman, one single Thai woman and that is enough to know how all other 30 million women in Thailand are!

My somewhat limited experience is different. I know about a dozen farang here in Thailand, married to a Thai woman and having their house in her name. Most of them for longer than 15 years. They have a family, kids, job etc.... a normal life.

Oh, and I count myself in the same category.

Nobody can guarantee that my marriage will last forever, I know. But I believe I know my wife after 16 years of marriage and I know, worst case scenario, I will loose the house. But think of the alternatives. Right.

Either you have to pay a rent or live in a condo.

The rent for a nice house in Bangkok would be around THB 60,000 pM. After 10 years you have spent a total of THB 7,2 mio. That's just about the value of the house. Except if you bought the house, you still have that value. If you rent, that money is gone. We bought the house, in her name. The kids have a home. Even if one day I am no longer there.

YES......I was paying rent for about 4 years, that's why WE decided to buy a house. I was now making the mortgage payments (NOT PAYING RENT). I was making an investment (or so I thought), so that is why I am asking for some of my money, THAT I INVESTED, back.

[thailiketoo]

Gee guys! You know one woman, one single Thai woman and that is enough to know how all other 30 million women in Thailand are!

My somewhat limited experience is different. I know about a dozen farang here in Thailand, married to a Thai woman and having their house in her name. Most of them for longer than 15 years. They have a family, kids, job etc.... a normal life.

Oh, and I count myself in the same category.

Nobody can guarantee that my marriage will last forever, I know. But I believe I know my wife after 16 years of marriage and I know, worst case scenario, I will loose the house. But think of the alternatives. Right.

Either you have to pay a rent or live in a condo.

The rent for a nice house in Bangkok would be around THB 60,000 pM. After 10 years you have spent a total of THB 7,2 mio. That's just about the value of the house. Except if you bought the house, you still have that value. If you rent, that money is gone. We bought the house, in her name. The kids have a home. Even if one day I am no longer there.

YES......I was paying rent for about 4 years, that's why WE decided to buy a house. I was now making the mortgage payments (NOT PAYING RENT). I was making an investment (or so I thought), so that is why I am asking for some of my money, THAT I INVESTED, back.

You forgot rule number one. Nothing is free. Time after time people come on this forum bragging how they don't pay for it. How they have a normal relationship. How they are so much better than the guys who pay for it. Well now you know. Money for chicks and nothings for free. That would be a good song title eh? Maybe needs a little more work.

Edited March 29, 2014 by thailiketoo

[wym]

The rent for a nice house in Bangkok would be around THB 60,000 pM. After 10 years you have spent a total of THB 7,2 mio. That's just about the value of the house. Except if you bought the house, you still have that value.on't get the

That price::rent ratio seems way off to me, usually in Thailand is more like 20, often 30 years. I pay 12,000 for a 5-storey shophouse, and similar ones in the neighborhood are going for 4.5M+.

It's true that's up from around 3M from when I started apparently due to the fact we remained flood-free here.

And YOU don't get the value back. As long as you see it as a gift, legacy for your kids, no problem.

I compare it to my car loan.

If my loan is for four years. She makes six months worth of payments and I pay off the remaining 3.5 years. Now the car loan is paid off. A year later, I decide to sell the car.

I will pay her back for the payments that she made because it's the right thing to do.

YES......I was paying rent for about 4 years, that's why WE decided to buy a house. I was now making the mortgage payments (NOT PAYING RENT). I was making an investment (or so I thought), so that is why I am asking for some of my money, THAT I INVESTED, back.

That you THOUGHT you were investing when in fact it was an outright gift all along.

Why are you so hung up on "fair"? You must be very young, or lived a very sheltered life - Life isn't actually fair.

Least of all most ex-spouses. Chalk it up to an expensive lesson learned, and walk away.

Or spend more money and keep yourself in stressed-out hell pursuing revenge, up to you. . .

[A1Str8]

Why not? I have already done it. The gf bought it.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[inthepink]

Gee guys! You know one woman, one single Thai woman and that is enough to know how all other 30 million women in Thailand are!

My somewhat limited experience is different. I know about a dozen farang here in Thailand, married to a Thai woman and having their house in her name. Most of them for longer than 15 years. They have a family, kids, job etc.... a normal life.

Oh, and I count myself in the same category.

Nobody can guarantee that my marriage will last forever, I know. But I believe I know my wife after 16 years of marriage and I know, worst case scenario, I will loose the house. But think of the alternatives. Right.

Either you have to pay a rent or live in a condo.

The rent for a nice house in Bangkok would be around THB 60,000 pM. After 10 years you have spent a total of THB 7,2 mio. That's just about the value of the house. Except if you bought the house, you still have that value. If you rent, that money is gone. We bought the house, in her name. The kids have a home. Even if one day I am no longer there.

YES......I was paying rent for about 4 years, that's why WE decided to buy a house. I was now making the mortgage payments (NOT PAYING RENT). I was making an investment (or so I thought), so that is why I am asking for some of my money, THAT I INVESTED, back.

You forgot rule number one. Nothing is free. Time after time people come on this forum bragging how they don't pay for it. How they have a normal relationship. How they are so much better than the guys who pay for it. Well now you know. Money for chicks and nothings for free. That would be a good song title eh? Maybe needs a little more work.

It's not bragging (not on my part anyway). Some of us do have normal relationships with successful women who contribute at least 50% to household expenses and we get bored of listening to men that married prostitutes trying to justify their bad choices by saying that everybody pays for it.

[i claudius]

Gotta agree with the OP, every Thai woman are the same as the OP's......................... with no exception

Again, for the benefit of the tape

God and i did not realise that both my wives in the UK were Thai ,like someone else said ,they didn;t look it .and i lost half the houses i paid for both times plus the f---ing shirt off my back.and there the homes were in my name.

[simon43]

I'm confused. If you bought the house after your legal marriage to your Thai wife, then upon your divorce you are legally entitled to 50% of that property (and any other joint assets), unless you agreed to waive your legal claim at time of divorce.

Were you legally married?

Was your divorce contested in Court or a quickie divorce at the amphur?

Did you waive your legal right to 50% of joint assets, which would seem to include your house?

Simon

[Mossfinn]

Gotta agree with the OP, every Thai woman are the same as the OP's......................... with no exception

Again, for the benefit of the tape

God and i did not realise that both my wives in the UK were Thai ,like someone else said ,they didn;t look it .and i lost half the houses i paid for both times plus the f---ing shirt off my back.and there the homes were in my name.

I feel you do not understand genealogy, both were third generation Thai living in the UK, and you did not notice those two supposedly UK women were actually Thai, shame on you.......

For the benefit of the tape

[donniereadit]

Not sure what rock you crawled out from under but...

This is so commonly known these days that have done any reading on Thailand and relationships that I figure most people know the stories and risks involved.

So complaining after the fact is soon becoming more like a whine. And nobody likes a man who whines.

[paz]

What about the downpayment ?

[gp2002]

Gee guys! You know one woman, one single Thai woman and that is enough to know how all other 30 million women in Thailand are!

My somewhat limited experience is different. I know about a dozen farang here in Thailand, married to a Thai woman and having their house in her name. Most of them for longer than 15 years. They have a family, kids, job etc.... a normal life.

Oh, and I count myself in the same category.

Nobody can guarantee that my marriage will last forever, I know. But I believe I know my wife after 16 years of marriage and I know, worst case scenario, I will loose the house. But think of the alternatives. Right.

Either you have to pay a rent or live in a condo.

The rent for a nice house in Bangkok would be around THB 60,000 pM. After 10 years you have spent a total of THB 7,2 mio. That's just about the value of the house. Except if you bought the house, you still have that value. If you rent, that money is gone. We bought the house, in her name. The kids have a home. Even if one day I am no longer there.

YES......I was paying rent for about 4 years, that's why WE decided to buy a house. I was now making the mortgage payments (NOT PAYING RENT). I was making an investment (or so I thought), so that is why I am asking for some of my money, THAT I INVESTED, back.

You forgot rule number one. Nothing is free. Time after time people come on this forum bragging how they don't pay for it. How they have a normal relationship. How they are so much better than the guys who pay for it. Well now you know. Money for chicks and nothings for free. That would be a good song title eh? Maybe needs a little more work.

It's not bragging (not on my part anyway). Some of us do have normal relationships with successful women who contribute at least 50% to household expenses and we get bored of listening to men that married prostitutes trying to justify their bad choices by saying that everybody pays for it.

For your information...................she's not a prostitute so don't automatically make that assumption. And who says that your "so-called" normal relationships with successful women won't end up like this??

Screwing others (including family members) for money is what Thais seem to do. How do you think the wealthy Thais became wealthy?

[Soutpeel]

Gee guys! You know one woman, one single Thai woman and that is enough to know how all other 30 million women in Thailand are!

My somewhat limited experience is different. I know about a dozen farang here in Thailand, married to a Thai woman and having their house in her name. Most of them for longer than 15 years. They have a family, kids, job etc.... a normal life.

Oh, and I count myself in the same category.

Nobody can guarantee that my marriage will last forever, I know. But I believe I know my wife after 16 years of marriage and I know, worst case scenario, I will loose the house. But think of the alternatives. Right.

Either you have to pay a rent or live in a condo.

The rent for a nice house in Bangkok would be around THB 60,000 pM. After 10 years you have spent a total of THB 7,2 mio. That's just about the value of the house. Except if you bought the house, you still have that value. If you rent, that money is gone. We bought the house, in her name. The kids have a home. Even if one day I am no longer there.

YES......I was paying rent for about 4 years, that's why WE decided to buy a house. I was now making the mortgage payments (NOT PAYING RENT). I was making an investment (or so I thought), so that is why I am asking for some of my money, THAT I INVESTED, back.

Think of it this way... provided your mortgage was equal to or less than your rent, you have basically come out of this even, as if you hadn't bought a house that money would be dead money anyway in rent, this is assuming you never put down a huge deposit

I think the only failing you have had is believing what you did was an investment, as to getting some of your cash back, if your legally married you can sue for 50% in the divorce settlement, if your not legally married, then put it down to a lesson learned and move on, you have two chances of getting any of your some or all of your "investment" back...no chance and FA chance.

As to the statement "WE decided" no "WE" didnt, if it was all your cash, "YOU" decided, you have took a chance, and it hasnt worked out

I have the same set up as you had, Mrs S has the house on a 15 year term, which was a 100% mortgage and I make the payments, which is less than I was paying in rent, if at the end mortgage term, in about 4 years, If Mrs S gets it in her head that she she wants to do the heave ho with me, so be it...she can have the house with the greatest of pleasure, but that all she will get, as my real piggy bank is not in Thailand, So I have known since day 1 how much I am in for and am prepared to take that financial knock, if it did happen, and the amount is considerably less that my "darling" Ex- western wife got me for in farang land

If my current relationship lasts...great, but if it dont, I know what my financial hit will be and trying not to bring up that old well worn Thai maxim...Only invest in Thailand what your prepared to walk away from....but in your case and mine it does apply and this is the rational I have applied when I got into this...

[benalibina]

Not sure what rock you crawled out from under but...

This is so commonly known these days that have done any reading on Thailand and relationships that I figure most people know the stories and risks involved.

So complaining after the fact is soon becoming more like a whine. And nobody likes a man who whines.

Doing a thing with good intentions and, probably, trust and then getting <deleted>, is no reason to whinge you think ? He has every reason to it IMO. In fact you are saying; naivety deserves no reciprocity ! Edited March 29, 2014 by benalibina

[BritManToo]

For your information...................she's not a prostitute so don't automatically make that assumption. And who says that your "so-called" normal relationships with successful women won't end up like this??

Screwing others (including family members) for money is what Thais seem to do. How do you think the wealthy Thais became wealthy?

Sentence 1

You claim she's not a prostitute.

Sentence 2

You define all as prostitutes (screwing others for money).

Sorry for your loss, forget it and move on, women take houses from men, normal behaviour all over the world.

Sort of makes me glad I'm too old to have any interest in sex.

[gp2002]

What about the downpayment ?

She put down a 10,000 baht deposit to hold the lot until the bank approved everything.

[samran]

Logical and rational?

Let's see. Who decided to fork over money to an asset which they had no claim over?

Was a gun held to your head? You paid repeatedly for how long???

Nah... Best blame others for your own idiocy.

Edited March 29, 2014 by samran

[gp2002]

For your information...................she's not a prostitute so don't automatically make that assumption. And who says that your "so-called" normal relationships with successful women won't end up like this??

Screwing others (including family members) for money is what Thais seem to do. How do you think the wealthy Thais became wealthy?

Sentence 1

You claim she's not a prostitute.

Sentence 2

You define all as prostitutes (screwing others for money).

Sorry for your loss, forget it and move on, women take houses from men, normal behaviour all over the world.

Sort of makes me glad I'm too old to have any interest in sex.

I used the word "screwing" in place of ripping people off.

[BritManToo]

I used the word "screwing" in place of ripping people off.

Fair enough, why not just look at it as her providing sex in return for the loan payments.

Loan repayments are about 2% of the capital a year for the first 10 years.

On a 30 year repayment mortgage.

4 years of repayments only amount to about 8% of the house value at most.

I wouldn't think that would even be worth arguing about.

It's not as if you have to keep paying.

Walk away and forget it.