DLang Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 There is no legal restriction stopping you from owning your own house in Thailand. If you wish to own your house here, it just needs to be listed as a separate legal entity to the land. For example: Lease land on a 30 year lease. There are numerous options for what type of house you could build. You can own whichever one 100% If you do not want to be tied to the land, there are some great options, along most highways you will see wooden houses that can be moved/built on your leased land, some of these can be lovely. Modular houses, prefab houses. There are numerous options. Of course that is only if you want your house to be moveable in the future. If you’re happy to have it built like a typical Western house then you can just go that way. You own it 100%. People think that foreigners are not allowed to own houses here. Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLang Posted May 18, 2015 Author Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) These would be examples of wooden knockdown houses. (quite an unfortunate name, really) Google images http://thailannahome.com/index.html http://www.cvs-thailand.com/house/index.html Edited May 18, 2015 by DLang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkpanther99 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I agree there is a lot of confusion over foreigners being able to own houses in Thailand. As I said in the poll thread earlier, foreigners can own any property in Thailand 100% in their name. They just can't legally own the land it sits on. You can dress it up however you want, but a lease isn't ownership - it's a lease. If you're hell bent on buying a property, setting up a usufruct on the land plot is perhaps a better way to go, but this still isn't ownership. I think Thailand's existing laws on foreigners owning land were probably established to stop wealthy foreign individuals and/or corporations buying up masses of land and leaving Thais with nothing. You can't really blame them for wanting to protect their land - don't forget how nationalistic Thais are. Of course the results of this means that the country misses out on huge investment. Interestingly, did you see that Vietnam is now offering 100 year leases to foreigners - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/825366-foreigners-can-own-houses-for-100-years-in-vietnam/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 The lease needs to be ironclad. As problems can arise if the owner of the land dies. The lease needs to be registered at the land office to be legal as well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lust Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Who cares about the structure? It's alllllllllll about that LAND. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maanoi Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I didn't realise there was any confusion on this subject. You can own a building, but not the land it sits on. Pretty common knowledge I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverSure Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 OP, if a group of Thais come by in the middle of the night and tell you that you are leaving, you'll leave. I know a guy that happened to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weegee Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I agree there is a lot of confusion over foreigners being able to own houses in Thailand. As I said in the poll thread earlier, foreigners can own any property in Thailand 100% in their name. They just can't legally own the land it sits on. You can dress it up however you want, but a lease isn't ownership - it's a lease. If you're hell bent on buying a property, setting up a usufruct on the land plot is perhaps a better way to go, but this still isn't ownership. I think Thailand's existing laws on foreigners owning land were probably established to stop wealthy foreign individuals and/or corporations buying up masses of land and leaving Thais with nothing. You can't really blame them for wanting to protect their land - don't forget how nationalistic Thais are. Of course the results of this means that the country misses out on huge investment. Interestingly, did you see that Vietnam is now offering 100 year leases to foreigners - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/825366-foreigners-can-own-houses-for-100-years-in-vietnam/ Yep!...Vietnam is flying ahead in leaps and bounds now... Here!...the above posts are correct....YOU can own the house...but not the land it sits on...PERIOD !! To lease in Thailand(land) would be a minefield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLang Posted May 18, 2015 Author Share Posted May 18, 2015 None of the above address the topic. " People think that foreigners are not allowed to own houses here. Why?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 What to do with a house without land......I think it isn't called house it is called caravan.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauGR1 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 OP, if a group of Thais come by in the middle of the night and tell you that you are leaving, you'll leave. I know a guy that happened to. ... Not to mention the visa issue.. It just needs some powerful person who doesn't like you, and you are out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatneville Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just bought a house in Samui. No problems at all. Set up a Thai company and register it all in that name. Easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauGR1 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just bought a house in Samui. No problems at all. Set up a Thai company and register it all in that name. Easy. So , i guess that you own 49% of the house while having paid 100% ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiBiker Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 WIthout the land, you don't own a house - you own a load of building materials that might not necessarily stay in their current form for very long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverSure Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just bought a house in Samui. No problems at all. Set up a Thai company and register it all in that name. Easy. Aren't you the smart one, LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weegee Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Didn't realise this forum was for big mouth bitches Boy...are you going to have a short stay on this forum.....stop being ignorant. Many of the reply posts are trying to help you understand the reality of OWNING a house here.... You say you bought and own a house in Thailand....as long as you believe that you will be happy with yourself...go for it. Down the track...if you are still on this forum....you will most likely be yet another one asking for advice what to do when whoevers name it is in, takes it away from you...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weegee Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just bought a house in Samui. No problems at all. Set up a Thai company and register it all in that name. Easy. Aren't you the smart one, LOL. Yep!...on call, here comes another one.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishcarlos Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 My wife owns all our property. Still trust her more than 51% biatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Inflammatory post removed and replies to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likewise Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) just a small note regarding our house, we could not get a 30 year lease since they seem not to be legal between husband and wife ! SO we were told by the head of Land office, he was not willing to cooperate and mentioned it quite a few times that this lease would not hold up in court ! No 30 year leases between legally married spouses ! So yes, it is in the wife's name, do I really like that, hmm no, would also rather see a 50/50 ownership but we do not make the rules here ! Edited May 18, 2015 by likewise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just bought a house in Samui. No problems at all. Set up a Thai company and register it all in that name. Easy. Sometimes they check on companies that don't have any turn over. Setting up a company with the sole purpose to cheat the land laws is illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maanoi Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just bought a house in Samui. No problems at all. Set up a Thai company and register it all in that name. Easy. A company that you can only own 49% of..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orac Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 just a small note regarding our house, we could not get a 30 year lease since they seem not to be legal between husband and wife ! SO we were told by the head of Land office, he was not willing to cooperate and mentioned it quite a few times that this lease would not hold up in court ! No 30 year leases between legally married spouses ! So yes, it is in the wife's name, do I really like that, hmm no, would also rather see a 50/50 ownership but we do not make the rules here ! I am not sure if the issue is a lease/contract between husband and wife is illegal as such but more that it is pointless since it can be cancelled at any point by either party without the consent of the other party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeichen Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 "People think that foreigners are not allowed to own houses here. Why?"" I know that you are just trolling but Ill bite. No one thinks that. I don't think I have ever heard someone say that foreigners can't own houses. But most people say cannot own property. The land would be considered the property, the house can come and go but land is eternal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkpanther99 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just bought a house in Samui. No problems at all. Set up a Thai company and register it all in that name. Easy. Easy yes, and not to mention illegal. That is unless the company is actually a true business (has staff, files accounts, pays taxes etc). However, if the company has been setup for the sole purpose of you circumnavigating Thailand's laws on land ownership then the practice of setting up a Thai company in this manner is illegal - no two ways about it. And no matter what your real estate agent told you, it's illegal. It could also be a headache if you ever have to sell the house as who wants to buy something that is illegal? Do you have any idea who the Thai shareholders are of said company - probably a few of the girls in the real estate office, right? The cleaner perhaps? A few local motorbike taxi guys? The same individuals names probably appear on hundreds of company shareholder lists, which will only be a matter of time before this raises the suspicions of the authorities. I believe a similar clampdown on this kind of malpractice has been and remains on going in Phuket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topt Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 None of the above address the topic. "People think that foreigners are not allowed to own houses here. Why?" From the replies OP you will see that most people are actually aware of what you are saying so I would suggest your question is actually pretty redundant............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teatree Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 just a small note regarding our house, we could not get a 30 year lease since they seem not to be legal between husband and wife ! SO we were told by the head of Land office, he was not willing to cooperate and mentioned it quite a few times that this lease would not hold up in court ! No 30 year leases between legally married spouses ! So yes, it is in the wife's name, do I really like that, hmm no, would also rather see a 50/50 ownership but we do not make the rules here ! Could you get a close family member of yours to lease the house from your wife? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrilled Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 to the OP.It's not about the shack.Most people know this.It's the land,not the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naam Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 What to do with a house without land......I think it isn't called house it is called caravan.... you don't do anything with it, you live in it. and that's it! ownership ends for all temporary owners of anything in anywhere on this planet when they are on their way to the graveyard or crematorium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirtless Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 The one thing about the lease is it is not transferable after death so you still lose , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts