Step by step procedure. Buying land/house for your Thai child.

[offset]

I've heard even buying property in your kids name which you can do from age zero, will still give the mother the rite to sell if you're not around until the child is 18 by memory.

At the land office the child has to show a distinguishing mark on their body (no I'm not joking) such as a birth mark to stop anyone else claiming they are your child. Be aware that birth marks like the Mongol birth mark can fade and disappear.

This info came from a Thai lawyer.

I want to do the same for my daughter but the thing I don't like is the mother being able to sell if she chooses. Not saying she would, but who knows what the future holds.

Property in your home country is probably a safer option and probably worth more in the long term.

A member suggested once if you do want Thai property as an investment is building a row of townhouses with a shop on the bottom of each one. Wouldn't be hugely expensive and each shops rent would be money in your kids pocket. Plus the living spaces above each shop for rent and a roof over your kids head. I liked the idea anyway.

The Land Office use a single fingerprint of the child and yes the mother can sell the land but only legally though the Children's court and the money is put in the Government bank under the child's name and to get any money from it a receipt must be produced to show it was for the benefit of the child, but not forget this is Thailand and there are ways round anything here

I know of both procedure's being done by personal experience

Edited May 23, 2015 by offset

[AlbionThailand]

I went thru this process just a few weeks ago - same situation: Thai wife and son (who has Thai/Brit passports). I few points:

a) I was buying river-front land as a long term investment and intentionally wanted Wife + Son as owners.

Land had Chanote so no issues there.

c) Went round to local Land Office; wife filled in the forms; wife and son signed them. I had to sign a disclaimer (in English) that as a Farang, I was aware that I could not own land - not an issue.

d) Entire process took less than 2 hours in morning.

e) Went upstairs and talked to the Survey Department; they turned up at the land that afternoon, did the Survey, put in temporary markers; rounded up the neighbors and the village head-man. We gave them the opportunity to dispute the survey markers - which they didn't.

Was advised by a lawyer that now land cannot be sold until son reaches the legal age of 20.

Also I received legal advice that should my wife pass away, my son and I would share her ownership 50:50 (she has no relatives) and then I would have 1 year to sell my portion of the land which would involve carving it up.

Easy solution was that my wife prepared a Will that specifically leaves her ownership of all of "our" properties to my son with myself as the guardian until he reaches age 20.

[PattayaPhom]

I went thru this process just a few weeks ago - same situation: Thai wife and son (who has Thai/Brit passports). I few points:

a) I was buying river-front land as a long term investment and intentionally wanted Wife + Son as owners.

Land had Chanote so no issues there.

c) Went round to local Land Office; wife filled in the forms; wife and son signed them. I had to sign a disclaimer (in English) that as a Farang, I was aware that I could not own land - not an issue.

d) Entire process took less than 2 hours in morning.

e) Went upstairs and talked to the Survey Department; they turned up at the land that afternoon, did the Survey, put in temporary markers; rounded up the neighbors and the village head-man. We gave them the opportunity to dispute the survey markers - which they didn't.

Was advised by a lawyer that now land cannot be sold until son reaches the legal age of 20.

Also I received legal advice that should my wife pass away, my son and I would share her ownership 50:50 (she has no relatives) and then I would have 1 year to sell my portion of the land which would involve carving it up.

Easy solution was that my wife prepared a Will that specifically leaves her ownership of all of "our" properties to my son with myself as the guardian until he reaches age 20.

Paid for the land then had a survey......that's not the way to do it and you are very lucky.

[AlbionThailand]

I went thru this process just a few weeks ago - same situation: Thai wife and son (who has Thai/Brit passports). I few points:

a) I was buying river-front land as a long term investment and intentionally wanted Wife + Son as owners.

Land had Chanote so no issues there.

c) Went round to local Land Office; wife filled in the forms; wife and son signed them. I had to sign a disclaimer (in English) that as a Farang, I was aware that I could not own land - not an issue.

d) Entire process took less than 2 hours in morning.

e) Went upstairs and talked to the Survey Department; they turned up at the land that afternoon, did the Survey, put in temporary markers; rounded up the neighbors and the village head-man. We gave them the opportunity to dispute the survey markers - which they didn't.

Was advised by a lawyer that now land cannot be sold until son reaches the legal age of 20.

Also I received legal advice that should my wife pass away, my son and I would share her ownership 50:50 (she has no relatives) and then I would have 1 year to sell my portion of the land which would involve carving it up.

Easy solution was that my wife prepared a Will that specifically leaves her ownership of all of "our" properties to my son with myself as the guardian until he reaches age 20.

Paid for the land then had a survey......that's not the way to do it and you are very lucky.

Not really - the village head-man was there with the seller when we viewed the land the day before buying it and we had a copy of the Chanote from not only the seller but also those from surrounding areas. Land area was clearly delinated and those small concrete markers all in place. Besides, we held back a chunk of the purchase price as the seller said he would clear the undergrowth and build an improved road! If that was not the case, would probably have done the survey first!

[lcp0761]

1. Get a Land title deed

2. Amend it to your child's name at Land office. (lawyer recommended).

Or

1. Company setup (make 49% of shares for Westerner, 51% for Thai person(s)).

2. Get a Land title deed

3. Amend it to company name at Land office.

No need to have a court agreement - it is just a law based my personal knowledge.

I'm getting ready to purchase "housing" in Thailand (a condo) and when reviewing the listings, I almost always see a quote saying "Foreign Owned" versus "Thai Owned".

Question --- what does the ownership mean, if anything, other than maybe one would assume foreign ownership might have different housing options versus Thai, i.e. bathroom amenities, kitchen,...?

NOTE --- the listings I have seen this in are mostly condo's but have also seen it in single family housing so I don't think it's in reference to the land as only a Thai can own land.

[louse1953]

I've heard even buying property in your kids name which you can do from age zero, will still give the mother the rite to sell if you're not around until the child is 18 by memory.

At the land office the child has to show a distinguishing mark on their body (no I'm not joking) such as a birth mark to stop anyone else claiming they are your child. Be aware that birth marks like the Mongol birth mark can fade and disappear.

This info came from a Thai lawyer.

I want to do the same for my daughter but the thing I don't like is the mother being able to sell if she chooses. Not saying she would, but who knows what the future holds.

Property in your home country is probably a safer option and probably worth more in the long term.

A member suggested once if you do want Thai property as an investment is building a row of townhouses with a shop on the bottom of each one. Wouldn't be hugely expensive and each shops rent would be money in your kids pocket. Plus the living spaces above each shop for rent and a roof over your kids head. I liked the idea anyway.

5555,i think even Thailand has heard of fingerprints,Mongol birthmark,5555.

[krisb]

I've heard even buying property in your kids name which you can do from age zero, will still give the mother the rite to sell if you're not around until the child is 18 by memory.

At the land office the child has to show a distinguishing mark on their body (no I'm not joking) such as a birth mark to stop anyone else claiming they are your child. Be aware that birth marks like the Mongol birth mark can fade and disappear.

This info came from a Thai lawyer.

I want to do the same for my daughter but the thing I don't like is the mother being able to sell if she chooses. Not saying she would, but who knows what the future holds.

Property in your home country is probably a safer option and probably worth more in the long term.

A member suggested once if you do want Thai property as an investment is building a row of townhouses with a shop on the bottom of each one. Wouldn't be hugely expensive and each shops rent would be money in your kids pocket. Plus the living spaces above each shop for rent and a roof over your kids head. I liked the idea anyway.

5555,i think even Thailand has heard of fingerprints,Mongol birthmark,5555.

So how do they get fingerprints of a 0 year old then?

[offset]

I've heard even buying property in your kids name which you can do from age zero, will still give the mother the rite to sell if you're not around until the child is 18 by memory.

At the land office the child has to show a distinguishing mark on their body (no I'm not joking) such as a birth mark to stop anyone else claiming they are your child. Be aware that birth marks like the Mongol birth mark can fade and disappear.

This info came from a Thai lawyer.

I want to do the same for my daughter but the thing I don't like is the mother being able to sell if she chooses. Not saying she would, but who knows what the future holds.

Property in your home country is probably a safer option and probably worth more in the long term.

A member suggested once if you do want Thai property as an investment is building a row of townhouses with a shop on the bottom of each one. Wouldn't be hugely expensive and each shops rent would be money in your kids pocket. Plus the living spaces above each shop for rent and a roof over your kids head. I liked the idea anyway.

5555,i think even Thailand has heard of fingerprints,Mongol birthmark,5555.

So how do they get fingerprints of a 0 year old then?

I think a baby has fingerprints they would do the same way as they did for my 2 year old put his finger on an ink pad then onto the paper