'Defrauded by my wife and criminals in Thailand' - BBC special report

[metisdead]

Some posts containing off topic generalizations have been removed as well as some misogynistic nonsense.

[Brer Fox]

For every story like this that gets publicised I wonder how many are out there the same that don't attract any attention. Is this instance 1:100, 1:50, or 1:1000? I would be interested to learn of some guesses by the experts. So what would the numbers really be as a percentage of marriages where property or substantial financial loss is involved? Any punters?

[MaeJoMTB]

Hopeless cause......You have the gift of foresight? Maybe you could give me next weeks Euromillions numbers?

........ don't buy that lottery ticket, you won't win, you're just wasting money.

Some futures are so obvious, anyone can predict them.

[Thaidream]

Just as an aside on land- before buying any type of land- make sure you go to the land office to find who the actual owner is; any mortgages or encumbers; size of plot and if there is an actual Chanot that will be issued, and also any pending taxes as well as tax you and the seller will pay. This is all public information. The seller should be able to give you a copy of their documents. If they refuse- run.

In regard to the gentleman in question. I read this as a man who did not understand how the purchase of land really works in Thailand. Setting up things through a company and using nominees are not really legal. He trusted his wife and I understand this completely. I suspect his wife needed money to help a family member and he either did not give it to her or he did not comprehend what was going on. So many issues in Thailand re communication. The wife goes to money lenders who are vicious- she got in over head and could't get out and that started the downward spiral. You really do have to do your research and due diligence. When dealing with Thai officials or people in general- you need to ask several people the same questions in a number of ways. When the majority give you the same answer- it is probably correct. The Thai language is not a direct language. Even native born Thais have issues in understanding.

[marinediscoking]

Most us know why the Thais get away with this and take precautions to never be in that situation in the first place.

Never ever buy any property of any sort or make any investment in this country, this is the rules that I have made for myself for the last 20 years.. The people in this video could have avoided all this heartache if they just rented. What is it with farangs wanting to make companies and only having 49% control and allowing Thais having 51% control? Would they be crazy enough to do this in their home country? Or paying millions of baht for a lease that can be forged and lost? Trust a Thai wife and put the property in her name? Only if you are willing to lose the lot.

Keep all your investments in your home country in your name, safe and sound.

Just rent, anything goes wrong, grab you bags and get on the first flight out and nothing but some furniture might be lost.

so if you haven't bought any property or other investments here the last 20 years? really? No stocks? No property? No life insurance etc whatsoever?

Nothing, zero. All I have is a Thai Bank Account that I transfer small amounts too and use as needed. I use Insurance from my home country and all my investments are back home safe and secure.

and you never think you are missing out on some great investment opportunities? How much rent did you pay the last 20 yrs?

I don't live here full time, I come about 5 Months a year. I pay anything between 5,000 and 10,000 baht a Month in rent. Right now paying 5K.

The investment opportunities in 1st world countries are far better than here and some of my investments are even government guaranteed. Why would anyone bother here with all of the crap that goes on. Looking back on what my friends did buying condos and me paying rent, I can assure you I am way out in front of them. Do not trust Thailand for investment, just my honest opinion and observations. Up to you what you want to do but I don't want any part of it particularly as rent is so cheap and you have the immediate get out factor too.

fair enough. Everyone has their own priorities. Just saying if you stay here 5 months and say pay 7.5k rent per month (assuming you can rent only on a monthly basis and terminate/not renew after 5 months) you spend approx 38k on rent here p.a. So over 20 yrs this was approx 750k. And each time you come to Thailand you have to look for a new place to stay and can never really leave anything here, it's not like a second home or holiday home you have here. Hence why my view is if you bought a place for 750k 20 yrs ago, you would have had a really nice place, probably worth multi millions now and you would have had a holiday home/second home to stay, to come back to. But maybe you prefer flexibility, changing places and location etc. all I'm saying there are good reasons for both approaches. All depends on your priorities.

I had a friend buy a condo here for 750K twelve years ago and I wish I had too now as it is in a really good location and worth at least double. I also had a friend buy a condo in the markland condo building on beach rd. for 1.1m at the same time now worth 3 or 4 million. My rent keeps going up though. Someone who only stays here only 5 months a year is really just a snow bird tourists.

I am waiting to find out from some expert on this thread....Out of all the houses bought under the 49% company shareholder ownership how many have had them taken away from them like these two? I am guessing 500k to a million properties have been bought this way here. I won't hold my breath waiting for an answer. I am not asking about unfinished or bankrupt projects that were stupidly bought before completion.

[Linzz]

There's plenty more rules. These are probably the essential ones. Please reply if you can think of more and I'll include them in the book.

Never get into political discussions with Thais, even with your SO. If you are ever asked about your political opinions in re Thailand, simply smile and say you don't know enough about it to have an opinion (even though you probably know more about it than whoever is asking for your views).

Never believe anything anyone tells you, Thai or farang, unless/until you can verify that what you've been told is true.

Don't keep money in Thailand. Pay the exorbitant ATM fees - just think of it as insurance.

Don't get inebriated to the point that you can't fend for yourself.

Internalize the fact that even very wealthy/successful Thais are generally not very well-educated in terms of understanding even the history of their own country, science and mathematics, etc., much less the history of other countries, or even basic logical reasoning. Do not get hung up on illogical behavior you observe; it is what it is, and you aren't going to 'educate' anyone.

Minimize your interaction with officialdom.

Never drive anywhere, never purchase a vehicle. Take public transportation when you can, use taxis or hired cars/drivers when that isn't an option.

If you speak/read Thai, never let on that you understand what Thais are saying/reading/writing. Cultivate a poker-face. This applies both to random Thais with whom you interact, your SO, and (especially) officialdom.

Never tell anyone, including your SO, how much money you have/make, where your money is located, etc. If you have to prove an income for a retirement visa or proof of sufficient funds for visiting, have a throwaway bank account you can use only for those purposes, completely apart from any bank accounts where your main income is stored. Use a completely different bank for this purpose.

If you are in a serious relationship with a Thai, and you're so inclined, do set up a life insurance policy, will, etc. But do not tell the intended beneficiaries that you have done this; arrange it so that if you pass away, they will be contacted and will receive the benefits at that point in time, with no incentive to arrange your premature death.

Have at least one trusted family member, friend, or lawyer outside Thailand who is an emergency contact with power of attorney to make decisions on your behalf in the event you become disabled to the point where you are unable to do so yourself. Do not ever grant this kind of power over your affairs to any Thai (even a Thai attorney) or local farang, under any circumstances.

Make appointments at least an hour in advance of when you actually expect the meeting to take place; be prepared for the odd Thai who will show up on time, but don't ever expect them to show up at the appointed time.

Have both an air and an overland escape plan; ensure you have all the necessary visas to execute this escape plan. Have at least one additional form of official ID from your country of origin in case your passport is lost, damaged, stolen, or confiscated.

Stock up on nonperishable food and drinking water. Have at least one month's supply of each on hand at all times, replenish as needed.

Do not get involved in any sort of business venture with Thais or with local farangs, ever.

Even though you see Thais breaking the law every day, in every way, do your best to adhere to the letter of the law.

Avoid situations in which you might be likely to need law enforcement assistance, because you won't get it (or, alternately, you'll get it good and hard). If you must fill out a police report for something like a lost/stolen passport, never volunteer any information beyond the bare minimum.

Carry at all times a laminated, full-size, high-resolution reproductions of the personal information section of your passport, and your current visa or visa-waiver stamp.

Never gamble, bet, or play games of chance with Thais or local farangs, even if it's stated that no money is changing hands. Avoid any area in which Thais or local farangs are doing so.

an amusing troll, a lot of effort went into this nonsense.

It must be a guy from Doomsday Preppers

[Thaidream]

Frankly speaking, I would never buy a condo or house under the 49-51 shareholder system. How many have been lost or seized in the past is irrelevant. You don't control it. At any point in the future, depending on legal entanglement or interpretations by officials, there could be problems. If you want to buy- purchase a Condo- so it is in your name. However perform the diligence- find out who owns the land the condo is on; taxes paid/not paid etc. Find out who is on the Condo Board- amounts in the bank for maintenance etc. If you do not trust the system or your spouse- do not buy anything in Thailand. Your best choice is to rent. I have purchased a house and a condo in Thailand- all in my wife's name- because I trust her. However, should the worst happen - she can have it all. I still have my pension which is plenty to rent and live on in Thailand. The rest is just bricks and mortar.

To each his own- plase make sure you check out everything before you decide.

[tookwan cottage]

Personally, I would have no problems with buying a house in my wife's name. I would also have no worries of putting all my money into her account. Why? Well, because when I went bankrupt and lost everything in 2012, she was the person that helped me through it and did everything for our family not to fall apart. She helped not only financially, but also helped me out of a deep depression and helped me get refocused and back on track.

Not all Thai-women are bad people trying to take your money. The money my family has now, was built on the money my wife borrowed in the bank and invested into our family business, when it needed it the most. We are now back on track and that is 100% due to her and her willingness take risks for the family to survive financially. My wife has never requested a house, a car or anything like that. We both have money in our account and can buy what we want. She will however never buy anything expensive without letting me agree on it first.

I think the video is a really good way to show that the law and justice system is really bad and corrupt in this country - because it really is. The legal and justice system in Thailand is both rotten and corrupt.

However, I also think it is important to note that not all Thai-women are bad gold-diggers and there is no general rule (besides common sense) for how to live and survive in Thailand. Unless of course you only hang out in Nana Plaza, then you could maybe set some general rules ;-) But Thailand and Thai-women is just so much more than only that!

It seems that every thread on TV has at least one saving grace—thank you kindly for this, khunpa.

[dageurreotype]

Personally, I would have no problems with buying a house in my wife's name. I would also have no worries of putting all my money into her account. Why? Well, because when I went bankrupt and lost everything in 2012, she was the person that helped me through it and did everything for our family not to fall apart. She helped not only financially, but also helped me out of a deep depression and helped me get refocused and back on track.

Not all Thai-women are bad people trying to take your money. The money my family has now, was built on the money my wife borrowed in the bank and invested into our family business, when it needed it the most. We are now back on track and that is 100% due to her and her willingness take risks for the family to survive financially. My wife has never requested a house, a car or anything like that. We both have money in our account and can buy what we want. She will however never buy anything expensive without letting me agree on it first.

I think the video is a really good way to show that the law and justice system is really bad and corrupt in this country - because it really is. The legal and justice system in Thailand is both rotten and corrupt.

However, I also think it is important to note that not all Thai-women are bad gold-diggers and there is no general rule (besides common sense) for how to live and survive in Thailand. Unless of course you only hang out in Nana Plaza, then you could maybe set some general rules ;-) But Thailand and Thai-women is just so much more than only that!

Would you please post a photo of the two of you together

[xylophone]

Just as an aside on land- before buying any type of land- make sure you go to the land office to find who the actual owner is; any mortgages or encumbers; size of plot and if there is an actual Chanot that will be issued, and also any pending taxes as well as tax you and the seller will pay. This is all public information. The seller should be able to give you a copy of their documents. If they refuse- run.

In regard to the gentleman in question. I read this as a man who did not understand how the purchase of land really works in Thailand. Setting up things through a company and using nominees are not really legal. He trusted his wife and I understand this completely. I suspect his wife needed money to help a family member and he either did not give it to her or he did not comprehend what was going on. So many issues in Thailand re communication. The wife goes to money lenders who are vicious- she got in over head and could't get out and that started the downward spiral. You really do have to do your research and due diligence. When dealing with Thai officials or people in general- you need to ask several people the same questions in a number of ways. When the majority give you the same answer- it is probably correct. The Thai language is not a direct language. Even native born Thais have issues in understanding.

Quote: "Just as an aside on land- before buying any type of land........"

You cannot buy/own land in Thailand. How many times does this have to be repeated before farangs get it (and yes I know about the investment of 40 mio baht).

Trying to get around this is oft-times why this sort of crap happens, although in this case it looks like his wife was either dishonest/a gambler/bent/an easy touch or all of them, so put everything together and the proverbial hits the fan.

Still feel sorry for the guy but there won't be many out there who haven't fallen for the charms of a woman and been dumped one way or another, be it in Thailand or elsewhere.

The difference here though is that the BIB and much of the legal system who are supposed to be acting on your behalf are as corrupt as the perpetrator, so no chance of recovering anything.

[faranghh]

I have seen this many times if the wife starts gambling.

[arrowsdawdle]

Personally, I would have no problems with buying a house in my wife's name. I would also have no worries of putting all my money into her account. Why? Well, because when I went bankrupt and lost everything in 2012, she was the person that helped me through it and did everything for our family not to fall apart. She helped not only financially, but also helped me out of a deep depression and helped me get refocused and back on track.

Not all Thai-women are bad people trying to take your money. The money my family has now, was built on the money my wife borrowed in the bank and invested into our family business, when it needed it the most. We are now back on track and that is 100% due to her and her willingness take risks for the family to survive financially. My wife has never requested a house, a car or anything like that. We both have money in our account and can buy what we want. She will however never buy anything expensive without letting me agree on it first.

I think the video is a really good way to show that the law and justice system is really bad and corrupt in this country - because it really is. The legal and justice system in Thailand is both rotten and corrupt.

However, I also think it is important to note that not all Thai-women are bad gold-diggers and there is no general rule (besides common sense) for how to live and survive in Thailand. Unless of course you only hang out in Nana Plaza, then you could maybe set some general rules ;-) But Thailand and Thai-women is just so much more than only that!

Another mine's different mantra. She can't get what isn't there in sufficient quantity.

[williamgeorgeallen]

met this guy in Phuket a few years ago and he gave me his story. interesting he has married again and had a fourth child. can never be stated again if you come to Thailand RENT EVERYTHING FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST 5 YEARS. I told this guy to walk away from his properties but he said it was everything he owned. he said he was a barrister and I told him to move back home. guess he did not want to leave.

[Frank James]

So his wife is in prison and got 4 years, but then he goes on to say he doesn't think she made much money selling everything off ! then he wonders how he got in this mess, the average thai bird from a bar isn't going to have the knowledge to pull of a scam like this,

I don't think these people who helped her just one day knocked on her door and said do you want to sell all your assets to us for next to nothing, she had to be up to no good maybe a Thai b/f or gambling debts.

Then after all this losing his life savings he gets another Thai girl and knocks out another kid !

How many thousands of stories like this are out there. I feel for the man, and the Irishman too.

Phuket Phuket Phuket!! A vile cesspool of corruption. Notice that governor telling the reporter he can't say the courts are wrong? Typical.

For the wife to do this, she must have been in hock to loansharks and/or gamblers. She's doing time, but the co-scammers and the lawyer who said it's legal to notarize a signature that was done off-site...why aren't they in jail too? Stupid question, I know.

But, like Wiffle, I have to ask, why does he marry another Thai girl and knock her up too? I have come to believe that the vasectomy I got long ago was the best money I ever spent!

[mydee]

criminal energy is not only in Thailand, happened around the world

But not aided and abetted by the "legal" system

Maybe someone would comment about Australian family courts and law. I've heard a lot of stories. Worse than Thailand from what I was told. Maybe just guys talking..........

I will give it a go but you might not like what I am about to say. In the 1970s Australia introduced no fault divorce based on incompatibility Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage/relationship is the only basis for divorce. Prior to that you would have to justify the grounds of the divorce including desertion or adultery. This used to lead to sleuths snooping into people's bedrooms and even falsifying affairs in order to establish a basis for the divorce. Nowadays it has to be unlikely that the couple will reconcile within 12 months so after that period of separation the divorce is granted. I think this is vast improvement on the previous system although the righteous no doubt will beg to differ.

The real issues arise of distribution of assets following the divorce, especially in cases where on party has been a high income earner and the other has little money and the couple has large assets. Because it is a no fault situation, in the absence of other factors, assets are often split equally.

The other issue is where children are involved and custody goes to one partner, the custodial parent. Under the terms of the divorce d custody arrangements vary from no access through to some sort of shared arrangements. Based on the incomes and assets of the marriage the non custodial parent often has to pay maintenance on an ongoing basis to the custodial parent to support the children until they reach their age of majority or become independent. The Courts attempt to put the interests of the children foremost in these situations.

Obviously this latter situation can lead to abuses, particularly when the custodial parent finds a new partner and the money intended to support the children is used to finance the parent and their partner's lifestyle.

Access to the children can also be a problem, particularly where the custodial parent is unsympathetic, inflexible, ignores the terms of custodial times, moves away from the place where the couple lived or just refuses to abide by the access arrangements.

Finally it can be very expensive to get a divorce, in terms of legal fees, particularly when one partner contests

As you would expect, the whole family law situation in Australia, and I guess most jurisdictions, is fraught with emotion and bitterness. The bitterness involved the failed marriages and perceptions of injustice has led to the murder of a family court judge on at least one occasion and the murder of innocent children far to frequently. Tragic but the fault primarily lies with the people involved not the divorce law.

[khunpa]

Personally, I would have no problems with buying a house in my wife's name. I would also have no worries of putting all my money into her account. Why? Well, because when I went bankrupt and lost everything in 2012, she was the person that helped me through it and did everything for our family not to fall apart. She helped not only financially, but also helped me out of a deep depression and helped me get refocused and back on track.

Not all Thai-women are bad people trying to take your money. The money my family has now, was built on the money my wife borrowed in the bank and invested into our family business, when it needed it the most. We are now back on track and that is 100% due to her and her willingness take risks for the family to survive financially. My wife has never requested a house, a car or anything like that. We both have money in our account and can buy what we want. She will however never buy anything expensive without letting me agree on it first.

I think the video is a really good way to show that the law and justice system is really bad and corrupt in this country - because it really is. The legal and justice system in Thailand is both rotten and corrupt.

However, I also think it is important to note that not all Thai-women are bad gold-diggers and there is no general rule (besides common sense) for how to live and survive in Thailand. Unless of course you only hang out in Nana Plaza, then you could maybe set some general rules ;-) But Thailand and Thai-women is just so much more than only that!

Another mine's different mantra. She can't get what isn't there in sufficient quantity.

Well, if you believe that all Thai-women are only after money then all I can say is, that my Thai-wife is actually different. And I am grateful, that I never have to doubt my wife or worry about why she is actually with me.

When it comes to Thai/Farang relationships and marriages, I have seen many succeed, but many more fail. Many times because the Farang thinks he can do as he pleases (drinking and girlfriends) and has no respect towards his wife. So many Farang-men here thinking that a good relationship here requires less effort than a relationship in their own country and that Thai-women needs much less respect and caring. And thats one of the main reasons, why so many at time find themselves in trouble here. I have seen loads of Farang-men mess up perfectly good relationships and then afterwards sit and whine about the Thai-woman being at fault.

Edited September 20, 2015 by khunpa

[metisdead]

Some more off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[DDbkh]

I don't know if this has been attempted before but TV could provide a service by doing a survey of members to find out if there is a common denominator for success or failure in Farang/Thai relationships.

Obvious questions refer to age difference, the beer goggles effect, social levels, married or living together etc.

I am sure that there are trends that can be seen from this and that would give newbies a point of reference - many members seem to believe that TAT should use 'too good too be true' as its slogan so an objective analysis could save lives

[JAG]

I don't know if this has been attempted before but TV could provide a service by doing a survey of members to find out if there is a common denominator for success or failure in Farang/Thai relationships.

Obvious questions refer to age difference, the beer goggles effect, social levels, married or living together etc.

I am sure that there are trends that can be seen from this and that would give newbies a point of reference - many members seem to believe that TAT should use 'too good too be true' as its slogan so an objective analysis could save lives

I feel immensely sorry for this chap, fate has dealt him a lousy hand.

Whilst we can certainly judge the probity of the lawyers involved, the effectiveness and impartiality of the police and courts (Phuket again I see), i don't believe that such a database would be useful, as every man is different, every woman is different, every relationship is different.

It would inevitably be dominated by those who rightly or wrongly feel that they have been hard done by, and would only reflect one side of the story.

Edited September 20, 2015 by JAG

[Linzz]

If Thailand was so welcoming to foreigners they would change the visa regulations and their laws allowing ownership of property without having to jump through hoops.

The bottom line is as many people know,they protect their own and go out of their way to blame others,this is evident in many recent hi profile criminal cases that are ongoing.

You gain minimal rights after marrying and raising children here and that information is there for all and sundry to discover before committing to a life here.

To bleat on about the Thai criminal justice system is simply ludicrous,in a country that currently has no elected government is it surprising when cases such as Dear Ian's arise.

As they say leave your western morals and laws at home they simply do not apply here.

I admire the guy for playing the waiting game but have little sympathy for people who come here and expect things to be like home when it all goes belly up.

It's time for Ian to move on with his life and forget the whole affair,something he seems to not be able to do as he is intent on becoming involved with a new Thai wife and raising his children in a country he has very little good to speak about given his recent experience.

Don't know what his motivations for staying here are, apart from his new Thai wife and she may not be of the same ilk as his former wife despite what all knowing TV members think.

I am sure his problems started long before the military government when Thailand was at least professing to have at least some semblance of democracy. Thus his expectations of getting some form of justice in the same country injustice took place was a reasonable expectation, even if sadly he was wrong.

His intention on continuing to fight for justice may for some on TVF seem silly, a waste of time and he should simply walk away, but staying to self sacrificially expose and publicize corruption is the only thing that is ever going to bring about change in Thailand. Good for him in my view. Not half a brain as has been said on here, but maybe a determined and forward thinker.

[watcharacters]

Short true personal story. I dated a Thai girl from a modest background. She was always coming up with a way I could help her have her own business. One day she suggested that she do small micro loans to small business owners and others with collateral. We agreed ed she would not to loan to FF&F (Friends, Family and Foreigners), nothing more than 200 dollars by signature and up to 10,000 dollars with verified, free and clear deeds, a 200,000 dollar limit in available capital in a calender year and a interest rate of 10% per month. Needles to say she became extremely popular with small business owners who need loans to expand their businesses. The first day she had lined up 5,000 dollars in small loans. We had also agreed each person must sign a loan agreement, supply a current national ID and fingerprint. The day before I was to give the 5,000 dollars one of her friends called to warn me against giving the money. She told me my girlfriend has a plan to defraud me of the entire 200,000 by loaning to her family and relatives and supplying fake documents, Id's etc. She said she would give the money to friends and family to keep for her and the loanee would pay interest the first month then run away making the loan non recoverable and soon after that disappear with my money. Needless to say I didn't give her the money. An argument in sued and we parted ways.

How would you ever hope to enforce an illegal contract?

[chicowoodduck]

so super over weight Ian could not see this coming?

sorry to say, just look at the body language and expression on this wife's face in all the photos.

in the first 30 seconds you hear him say "... I was looking for a place with rule of law..."

are you completely clueless? everything in this video is what I found on google seven years ago on the first day researching Thailand. He must have never done a moments research.

I am sure Ian has a big heart, loved his wife and is a good and trusting person.

But you must have a healthy dose of paranoia to survive in Thailand.

Don't get married! Don't "buy" land. Assume nothing.

"so super over weight Ian could not see this coming?" - guessing you look like the Greek god Adonis? "People who live in glass houses......."

actually yes, i am very good looking. i grew up in Hollywood, that is why i can see this shit a mile away. I don't fall in love with the first beautiful girl I meet in Thailand because I have been with beautiful girls all my life.

I am not trying to experience something I never have before. I feel really badly for the guys who are suddenly for the first time in their lives "handsome". it is like a powerful drug. and you just want the lie to go on and on.

I am saying DON'T BE PLAYED. STAY IN CONTROL and be happy KNOWING IT IS FALSE.

Geez, can smell your BS all the way here in Pattaya....most probably lost your false teeth in the glass.....beauty is in the eye of the beholder, drop the mirror and get on with life...?

[maidee]

invest in thailand, YOUR MONEY will be well spent, good investment

sadly for everybody, except you, the ATM

best advise : RENT RENT RENT

or you find a rich hi-so thai chinese that pays for it all

apparently he found the need , even broke, to bring another child into this world .... people never learn, do they ?

[Venathis]

I fully sympathize with this gentleman; however, like many farangs in Thailand, he has been naive and gullible. I have lived in Asia for over 10 years now (in China and Thailand) and I know we cannot expect them to have the rule of law here. I am not even sure if they have a word on their vocabulary that means "ethics" as we understand it. That concept is foreign to people in the parts of Asia where I have lived (again, China and Thailand. I cannot talk about other Asian countries)

Here, it is the rule of persons based on relationships. Foreigners from Europe and North America are naive to believe that they can have a redress of bad situation through some rule of law. Personally, I would not buy any property in Thailand unless I have a company whose directors are only myself and a law firm that I can trust. My wife or partner would have nothing to do with it.

I wish that gentleman well in getting back what was rightfully his, but I would not hold my breath on this one.

[Robert24]

Frankly speaking, I would never buy a condo or house under the 49-51 shareholder system. How many have been lost or seized in the past is irrelevant. You don't control it. At any point in the future, depending on legal entanglement or interpretations by officials, there could be problems. If you want to buy- purchase a Condo- so it is in your name. However perform the diligence- find out who owns the land the condo is on; taxes paid/not paid etc. Find out who is on the Condo Board- amounts in the bank for maintenance etc. If you do not trust the system or your spouse- do not buy anything in Thailand. Your best choice is to rent. I have purchased a house and a condo in Thailand- all in my wife's name- because I trust her. However, should the worst happen - she can have it all. I still have my pension which is plenty to rent and live on in Thailand. The rest is just bricks and mortar.

To each his own- plase make sure you check out everything before you decide.

with preferred shares you control 100% of the company even though you only have 49% of the shares. A common set up in many countries here and in other countries. Worst thing that can happen to you is that at some point in the future they may call your company a nominee company and you are forced to sell the property within a year or sell your shares in the company to a Thai person.

[taxin]

Some people play it smart.

Rent the house.

Rent the moto.

Rent the wife.

Keep money/valuables "back home" - out of reach to all except yourself.

Others - not so smart.

So what about the farang guys who have lived in Thailand for many years and made their money in Thailand with a Thai company, ones who are married to a Thai who has contributed to the success of that business, the husband having absolutely no ties "back home" in their country of origin, no bank account, not even an address ?

Are these guys regarded as not so smart ?

[khunpa]

Some people play it smart.

Rent the house.

Rent the moto.

Rent the wife.

Keep money/valuables "back home" - out of reach to all except yourself.

Others - not so smart.

So what about the farang guys who have lived in Thailand for many years and made their money in Thailand with a Thai company, ones who are married to a Thai who has contributed to the success of that business, the husband having absolutely no ties "back home" in their country of origin, no bank account, not even an address ?

Are these guys regarded as not so smart ?

No, many of them just know, that you do not need to "rent the wife" and managed to find a decent Thai-woman, instead of a 40-year younger Thai-girl :-) In other words, they are not sexpats.

Edited September 20, 2015 by khunpa

[lostoday]

Some people play it smart.

Rent the house.

Rent the moto.

Rent the wife.

Keep money/valuables "back home" - out of reach to all except yourself.

Others - not so smart.

So what about the farang guys who have lived in Thailand for many years and made their money in Thailand with a Thai company, ones who are married to a Thai who has contributed to the success of that business, the husband having absolutely no ties "back home" in their country of origin, no bank account, not even an address ?

Are these guys regarded as not so smart ?

No, many of them just know, that you do not need to "rent the wife" and managed to find a decent Thai-woman, instead of a 40-year younger Thai-girl :-) In other words, they are not sexpats.

Boy you discriminatory (age and sex) guys just can't seem to get over it can you? What happened to you all to make you so envious of the older (great) generation? I think the topic is fraud not, "it's OK to steal from a guy who has a younger wife." I think. I could be wrong.

Edited September 20, 2015 by lostoday

[Ling Kae]

Some people play it smart.

Rent the house.

Rent the moto.

Rent the wife.

Keep money/valuables "back home" - out of reach to all except yourself.

Others - not so smart.

So what about the farang guys who have lived in Thailand for many years and made their money in Thailand with a Thai company, ones who are married to a Thai who has contributed to the success of that business, the husband having absolutely no ties "back home" in their country of origin, no bank account, not even an address ?

Are these guys regarded as not so smart ?

They are regarded as the very few lucky ones. Just like winning a lottery, it's just good luck.

[2fishin2]

24 pages of judgmental people trying to convince other people that your own personal ideas are the absolute and everybody else is screwed up. You guys need to get a life.