Question about Chinese and property ownership in Thailand

[watgate]

I was talking with an Aussie bloke who said that recently the Chinese were approved by the Thai Government to be able to own real estate, including houses. I was kind of skeptical since news of that sort would almost be headline and if in fact the Chinese, contrary to other foreigners, could now actually purchase and own houses, that would be big news.I was just wondering if anyone knows of any possible changes along these lines or was I right in thinking the Aussie bloke was wrong about his claims?

[DonaldBattles]

As there will be 10,000 plus Chinese family members here for a long time building and operating the Dim Sum Train nothing would surprise me. I am sure they have BOI approval and most likely will be able to have a plot of land to build a house. FOR FEELONGS NOT ALOWED!

[TooPoopedToPop]

Balderdash from down under.

The Thais aren't going to give property rights to anybody... anytime soon.

[cmsally]

There definitely are a lot of properties being bought by Chinese. Some are long tern lease and some are probably by company purchase.

[Chicog]

There definitely are a lot of properties being bought by Chinese. Some are long tern lease and some are probably by company purchase.

And I assume they are allowed to buy condos under the same rules as any other foreigner?

[northernjohn]

There definitely are a lot of properties being bought by Chinese. Some are long tern lease and some are probably by company purchase.

And I assume they are allowed to buy condos under the same rules as any other foreigner?

What reason would there be for them not being able to buy a condo? Maybe you are new to Chiang Mai and didn't realize they already are buying them here.

[arunsakda]

It is a cliche but I finally met one of these guys. Aussie who told me it was legal for him to drive a Motorbike up to

150cc on Austrialian DL with no International Driving Permit, and that he was ex- SAS .

Probably the same bloke spouting this rubbish.

Edited March 1, 2016 by arunsakda

[Puwa]

I don't believe there are special rules for Chinese. But well off mainlanders are desperate to invest their money abroad, and are doing so worldwide, because they don't trust the Chinese economy or government. This probably gives them a higher appetite for risk.

[Naam]

As there will be 10,000 plus Chinese family members here for a long time building and operating the Dim Sum Train nothing would surprise me. I am sure they have BOI approval and most likely will be able to have a plot of land to build a house. FOR FEELONGS NOT ALOWED!

FEELONGS

added as no.30 in my list of "Farang" spellings

[maoro2013]

You are not allowed to own land, as a foreigner, but you can own a house.

[thailand49]

I'm Chinese (American) does that count because I can't!

[TooPoopedToPop]

Property ownership by foreigners in this country can be a vexed question because Thai laws regarding it are complex and confusing.

For anyone who values their money or their sanity it is best to avoid this minefield strewn with banana peels.

Long-term family relationships are essential for many things in Thailand. Having trusted relatives front for you is the name of the game. This applies especially to land ownership issues.

It can't be said often enough that family means everything here.

Your position in the family defines who you are.

Without one you are nobody... farang tao-nahn eng..

It's quite obvious that to mercenary Thais, many farangs are low-hanging-fruit.

They come here as refugees from their own countries which have - for the most part - gone to the dogs.

They are looking for love and a new life that, in many cases, includes home ownership.

They came here too late in life... set in their ways and too late to adapt or assimilate in any meaningful ways. Too old to master the language or be anything other than a cash-cow for some greedy woman and her scheming relatives.

Forget about property ownership if you don't have roots here that go very deep.

[LivinLOS]

You are not allowed to own land, as a foreigner, but you can own a house.

40 million baht investment scheme..

I have met someone who did it.. Also he 'purchased' PR with the same 40 MB.

I lost that debate.

[Altalake]

In Burma many locals around Bagan are upset because Chinese have bought land, which by law they are not allowed to do. Money talks......

[bangkoklawyer24]

You are not allowed to own land, as a foreigner, but you can own a house.

It is the misleading street wisdom in Thailand‘s blogs and forums, that foreigners are prohibited to acquire land, but not banned to legally own a villa. Therefore, it seems to be apparently a smart solution to divide the overall property investment into a "hire of property"of the land (in Thailand typically merchandised as "leasehold") and a purchase agreement or construction contract for the villa ("freehold"). However, the desired result is achieved in Thai industry practice just in 1 out of 100 cases.

[Thailand]

It would not be much of a surprise if it were to happen as Thailand is falling over itself to become another province of China.

[DonaldBattles]

I have started to use a different spelling for Farangs. I don't like the French spelling and think that Feelongs would be a more appropriate way. After all, the Thais do not use the R letter and we are referred to as falangs. Can you tell me who is correct. Outside of Asia Thais call everyone falangs or Khaeg. Notice they never use Thainess and call us Khun Falang! They were kind enough to name a white fruit Falang. My comments are not meant to create a lot of agreement or disagreement. I accept the way things are do not wish to change Thainess.

[chilli42]

Not true, no change. They have to follow the same rules as the rest of us.

[Robert24]

No exception for PRC citizen. Same law applies.

[DonaldBattles]

Many of you forget that the law is what ever they decide it is today at any place in the country. Appeal means 10 years and millions. Article 44 controls the current situation. People need to understand and accept how the situation is. Thousands of people own land through nominee companies whose members are law office clerks. There is no limit to owning land. The naiveness for many foreigners is the usufruct law which allows you to have you name on the bottom line of the chanote and also allows you to sub let. It costs you about 75 Baht at the land office to keep someone from stealing your property. I have owned 3 houses using the usufruct.

All things are possible and they take place every day.

[Lee4Life]

Property ownership by foreigners in this country can be a vexed question because Thai laws regarding it are complex and confusing.

For anyone who values their money or their sanity it is best to avoid this minefield strewn with banana peels.

Long-term family relationships are essential for many things in Thailand. Having trusted relatives front for you is the name of the game. This applies especially to land ownership issues.

It can't be said often enough that family means everything here.

Your position in the family defines who you are.

Without one you are nobody... farang tao-nahn eng..

It's quite obvious that to mercenary Thais, many farangs are low-hanging-fruit.

They come here as refugees from their own countries which have - for the most part - gone to the dogs.

They are looking for love and a new life that, in many cases, includes home ownership.

They came here too late in life... set in their ways and too late to adapt or assimilate in any meaningful ways. Too old to master the language or be anything other than a cash-cow for some greedy woman and her scheming relatives.

Forget about property ownership if you don't have roots here that go very deep.

Sorry to pop your bubble, but I am not a refugee and can go home whenever I like and I have been married for 34 years and am not looking for any women, greedy or otherwise. If I don't master the Language it's because I just got comfortable enough speaking it reasonably well, nobody is ever too old to learn and nobody has to settle for being a cash cow. On the other hand I am sorry that you have such a negative viewpoint and hope that you heal.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Added to the list of posts on the forum that just drain the life out of me.

[DonaldBattles]

To be fair and objective about the Chinese I offer the following information. I lived and worked off and on for 8 years in Yunnan and Shandong Provinces. I found the government and private sector very informed and helpful to me in doing business. I was in the Mexican Pepper business growing and also buying for import to Thailand. The people I worked with were polite and well spoken. The hotels were clean and the food was OK. I must say that up country toilets in public were really bad. There are no plastic bags and foam boxes all over the sides of the roads and in the waters like in Thailand. Four years ago China stopped the production of plastic bags except those that are reusable and you pay a good price for them.

Regarding the need by Khun Chalernchai to charge 50 Baht for entrance it is well worth it. His art museum is really special. He has done a good job in creating a a unique place for visitors. Lets also give him a little credit as he has brought a lot of tourist money to Chiang Rai.

[VillageIdiot]

Balderdash from down under.

The Thais aren't going to give property rights to anybody... anytime soon.

Indeed.

Why should they?

Governments should act in the interests of their own citizens.

Policies like that are conspicuously absent in so many western countries where crooks, clowns, and incompetents rule the roost.

[mamborobert]

My wife is Thai/Chinese from Chiang Rai way. In a lot of that area there are no registered land titles but land that is nominally held by one person is sold to another with written agreement and the Land Office is not involved at all. This is a parallel system used by Chinese on many issues and stays in practice through tradition, respect, and clan ties.

Turning now to Chinese buying land in CM. my wife is on three land titles as owner for Chinese. The last one is 8 Rai in Borsang that is now having a 6 million baht 7 bedroom house built on it. House construction, electricity, is all in my wife's name.

Not supporting or condoning this in any way and have had more than a few arguments with wife about it. We are currently between houses ourselves and there is no way I will buy another place in wife's name while she has title over the other places (for a variety of reasons)......but the clan family pressure on her is so strong given at she has Thai citizenship/ID card. Once one had her on the title word seemed to spread. She is by no means alone in doing this. Two of her Chinese/Thai freinds from CR are doing same. I don't know any Thai/Chinese males that have this arrangement (but there may be). Maybe a throwback to daughters looking after parents with Chinese as sons start new mini patriarchals themselves.

[Chicog]

There definitely are a lot of properties being bought by Chinese. Some are long tern lease and some are probably by company purchase.

And I assume they are allowed to buy condos under the same rules as any other foreigner?

What reason would there be for them not being able to buy a condo? Maybe you are new to Chiang Mai and didn't realize they already are buying them here.

Must be great for the neighbours.

[Stevemercer]

There are many Thai/Chinese, many speak Mandarin and many have roots back to China. Thai/Chinese, on average, tend to be more business orientated and have proportionally higher wealth than Thais. Chinese money will keep flowing in with land and houses nominally in the name of trusted Thai/Chinese.

I'm not sure how much this will benefit Thailand as much of the profits will continue to be remitted back to China. Similarly, most Chinese tourists book group tours in Thailand using Chinese owned buses, restaurants and hotels in Thailand. According to TAT, they are big spenders, but I suspect most of the money ends up back in China.

[northernjohn]

There are many Thai/Chinese, many speak Mandarin and many have roots back to China. Thai/Chinese, on average, tend to be more business orientated and have proportionally higher wealth than Thais. Chinese money will keep flowing in with land and houses nominally in the name of trusted Thai/Chinese.

I'm not sure how much this will benefit Thailand as much of the profits will continue to be remitted back to China. Similarly, most Chinese tourists book group tours in Thailand using Chinese owned buses, restaurants and hotels in Thailand. According to TAT, they are big spenders, but I suspect most of the money ends up back in China.

I suspect your are rite. Just read an article that says there are more billionaires in Beijing than New York. Have friend who lives quite a bit of his time in Pai. He tells me they are even opening business there now. You can bet that there is a lot of Chinese Thai citizens tied into them.

[bbbbooboo]

Lol.......basically the Chinese own everything in thailand

[TooPoopedToPop]

Property ownership by foreigners in this country can be a vexed question because Thai laws regarding it are complex and confusing.

For anyone who values their money or their sanity it is best to avoid this minefield strewn with banana peels.

Long-term family relationships are essential for many things in Thailand. Having trusted relatives front for you is the name of the game. This applies especially to land ownership issues.

It can't be said often enough that family means everything here.

Your position in the family defines who you are.

Without one you are nobody... farang tao-nahn eng..

It's quite obvious that to mercenary Thais, many farangs are low-hanging-fruit.

They come here as refugees from their own countries which have - for the most part - gone to the dogs.

They are looking for love and a new life that, in many cases, includes home ownership.

They came here too late in life... set in their ways and too late to adapt or assimilate in any meaningful ways. Too old to master the language or be anything other than a cash-cow for some greedy woman and her scheming relatives.

Forget about property ownership if you don't have roots here that go very deep.

Sorry to pop your bubble, but I am not a refugee and can go home whenever I like and I have been married for 34 years and am not looking for any women, greedy or otherwise. If I don't master the Language it's because I just got comfortable enough speaking it reasonably well, nobody is ever too old to learn and nobody has to settle for being a cash cow. On the other hand I am sorry that you have such a negative viewpoint and hope that you heal.

You didn't pop my bubble, Lee.

I stand by my post. The observations and considered opinions are based on an adult lifetime - almost 40 years - of living here and watching the changing farang demographic.

From the raffish types of the 1970s to the hordes of colorless retirees who have come down on Chiang Mai in recent years, the scene has never been dull.

The peevish tone of your reply suggests that I may have hit a nerve, or that the shoe fit a little too well.

I try not to be doctrinaire, and usually qualify my conclusions with many or most.

If you don't consider yourself profiled in the post, then why get testy?