My husband and I have recently retired and are building a house in Sisaket. We know Thai law does not allow westerners to own land, but does allow westerners to own houses. The AwBawTaw in the amphur where we are says that farangs cannot own houses and refuses to issue the building permit needed as the first step to establish ownership. We already have a lease for the land. We have lived in Thailand for nearly thirty years, so we are not totally ignorant about the way things often work when dealing with government offices.

My question is this: Has anyone else encountered this problem? If so, was there a ‘fee’ involved and what was the price range of that fee?

Its called T​-money and very much so. Get yourself a lawyer and let him do the talking for you.

Please page me, a good lawyer lives next door of us. Kunwadee, Kasikam rd. area.

You might also look into what exact documents you need for the "permit to build". You might be missing one of the documents and they might be blocking you on that basis. The actual owner of the land does play a role in the issue of the "permit to build", even if the person who owns the land is not the person who is named on the "permit to build". Google can help you on what exact documents you need. There is a newspaper in Phuket where the Government officials answer Farang questions with exact requirements so Farang can have a "permit to build". If the house is of a certain height then a Thai licensed engineer must sign each page of the building plans, etc.. Proof of where you live, such as a yellow house book or embassy statement or Thai Immigration statement, of the person's PRESENT address in Thailand was a requirement i our community. Not the address of the house building site.