Buying land and house in Thailand

[DUNROAMIN]

Hi to everyone. I have been informed as from this year if a Thai woman marries a falang legally, she cannot purchase and own land in Thailand. What I would like to know is if she buys land before she marries a falang can she still legally own that land after she has married the falang. I am also not sure about a house and land package with the above? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Cheers

[stupidfarang]

I had to check the date to make sure it was not the 1st April. Joke aside I have not heard this and hope it is not true. If it is true it would just add to the feeling that farangs are not welcome anymore which is a feeling that many farangs now have. The housing market is suffering so I would be surprised if this is true but then again this is Thailand

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Wrong forum so moving it to the : Real Estate, housing, house and land ownership forum

But, that rule was in place perhaps 20 years ago, then dropped, Have NOT heard anything about reinstating it, zero, zip, nada.

Mac

[ubonjoe]

That old rule was tossed shortly after the 1997 constitution went into effect that gave women the same rights as men.

[moojar]

^^^^

Cannot seem to reply to the OP.

But anyway, where did you hear that Dunroamin? I'd dismiss it as way out of date, but the people in control of the country, the ones rewriting the constitution again to make it "fair", have been making anti-farang noises. So I'm not happy to hear this rumour.

What is your situation btw? Not married yet by the sounds of it? My wife and I are approaching our 25th wedding anniversary, and if I could change one thing it would be for her to have kept her own name in Thailand. Having a Farang name on her ID card is a red flag to the occasional xenophobic government official, and sometimes makes it difficult to negotiate "Thai prices". And if you were inclined to not let your home country know what assets you have in Thailand, having land in her maiden name might help. Just sayin'

Oh, and welcome to TV! 'Dunroamin' - Australian? I worked for QLD railways many years ago, and the pensioner excursion train that used to come thru was known as the 'dunrootin train'.

[jaapfries]

NOT true; a Thai' female can be legally married to a Farang, but that does NOT mean she has to change her Last Name on any of her Thai Legal Documents !

The thing to remember is that land, under Thai' Law, can NEVER be lawfully registered in a NON-THAI name or entity; simple as that !

[moojar]

NOT true; a Thai' female can be legally married to a Farang, but that does NOT mean she has to change her Last Name on any of her Thai Legal Documents !

The thing to remember is that land, under Thai' Law, can NEVER be lawfully registered in a NON-THAI name or entity; simple as that !

Are you replying to me? Coz I never said my wife had to change her name on any legal documents. She chose to take my name when we married, so from that day on had a Farang surname on her identity card. That is a small regret.

Once the name on the ID card is changed, any future purchases must be in that name. I don't know what the situation is regarding already-owned assets, my wife had none 25 years ago.

My wife could not own (purchase?) land back then anyway once she married me, but the law has changed.

[shirtless]

Be prepared to lose some money , its not worth buying.

[DUNROAMIN]

^^^^

Cannot seem to reply to the OP.

But anyway, where did you hear that Dunroamin? I'd dismiss it as way out of date, but the people in control of the country, the ones rewriting the constitution again to make it "fair", have been making anti-farang noises. So I'm not happy to hear this rumour.

What is your situation btw? Not married yet by the sounds of it? My wife and I are approaching our 25th wedding anniversary, and if I could change one thing it would be for her to have kept her own name in Thailand. Having a Farang name on her ID card is a red flag to the occasional xenophobic government official, and sometimes makes it difficult to negotiate "Thai prices". And if you were inclined to not let your home country know what assets you have in Thailand, having land in her maiden name might help. Just sayin'

Oh, and welcome to TV! 'Dunroamin' - Australian? I worked for QLD railways many years ago, and the pensioner excursion train that used to come thru was known as the 'dunrootin train'.

Hi, Moojar, I was at a party recently with other farangs and this topic was mentioned. A couple of people seem to be sure that the new government had made some changes as from the start of this year. I don't know where they got this information, I will endeavor to find the source of this info. I am new to Thailand as from December last year and I am still learning.

My girl here has previously lived with a Thai man and never was officially married, had three children with him and then dumped for younger girl. Starting to realize this is the norm in Thailand. I think she would like to have a Budda marriage ceremony as she feels something is missing being a couple.

I have spent many years moving around Oz with the Defence Force, (Army) 21 years. The final state that I ended up in was Queensland. I lived in Brisbane for many years and then moved to Stanthorpe in the Granite Belt to be closer to my Daughter.

I don't think I am ready yet to catch the "Dunrootin train.

Cheers

Steve

[DUNROAMIN]

Thanks to all for the feedback, I am going to try and find the source of this information I was given. I have found info even from so called official channels can be conflicting. Still learning.

Cheers

[The Fat Controller]

I am from the UK and have been married for 2 years.

My wife is still using her maiden name.

She bought land yesterday.

She had to declare her marital status and as she was married to a foreigner, who cannot own land, I was required to sign a form stating that it was not part of the joint marital assets.

The land is registered using the name on the Thai ID card, so if she had changed her surname to mine, the translation thereof would be on the chanote.

As mentioned previously, changing to a foreign surname can result in "issues", we decided not to do it as she has 3 buildings and several plots of land already in her maiden name.

The latest acquisition did not involve the buyers knowing she was married to a foreigner, the first they knew of it was when they met me at the land office.

[DUNROAMIN]

I am from the UK and have been married for 2 years.

My wife is still using her maiden name.

She bought land yesterday.

She had to declare her marital status and as she was married to a foreigner, who cannot own land, I was required to sign a form stating that it was not part of the joint marital assets.

The land is registered using the name on the Thai ID card, so if she had changed her surname to mine, the translation thereof would be on the chanote.

As mentioned previously, changing to a foreign surname can result in "issues", we decided not to do it as she has 3 buildings and several plots of land already in her maiden name.

The latest acquisition did not involve the buyers knowing she was married to a foreigner, the first they knew of it was when they met me at the land office.

Hi Fat Controller, Thanks for the info, I am starting to realize it may be best not to change her name, as you have stated it is only going to cause problems further down the road.

Cheers

[Rdrokit]

Been married 10 years and my wife changed her last name to mine. Has a new ID card with my last name (in Thai) and Thai drivers and Thai passport with my last name. She has bought a house and land without any problems.

[siamcrut]

Been married 10 years and my wife changed her last name to mine. Has a new ID card with my last name (in Thai) and Thai drivers and Thai passport with my last name. She has bought a house and land without any problems.

Same us no problems, but every time we bought or sold a property, I had to sign some papers (in Thai) at the land-office too.

[Rdrokit]

Been married 10 years and my wife changed her last name to mine. Has a new ID card with my last name (in Thai) and Thai drivers and Thai passport with my last name. She has bought a house and land without any problems.

Same us no problems, but every time we bought or sold a property, I had to sign some papers (in Thai) at the land-office too.

Yes you have to sign as technically being married you own 50% of the property.

[BritManToo]

I am from the UK and have been married for 2 years.

My wife is still using her maiden name.

She bought land yesterday.

She had to declare her marital status and as she was married to a foreigner, who cannot own land, I was required to sign a form stating that it was not part of the joint marital assets.

The land is registered using the name on the Thai ID card, so if she had changed her surname to mine, the translation thereof would be on the chanote.

As mentioned previously, changing to a foreign surname can result in "issues", we decided not to do it as she has 3 buildings and several plots of land already in her maiden name.

The latest acquisition did not involve the buyers knowing she was married to a foreigner, the first they knew of it was when they met me at the land office.

Hi Fat Controller, Thanks for the info, I am starting to realize it may be best not to change her name, as you have stated it is only going to cause problems further down the road.

Cheers

What would be best, is not to get married, and not give her money to buy land.

[The Fat Controller]

Happily married, it was her money, she was a bit shocked to find out that if she wanted to buy any land or property that I had to be there to sign the relevant document.

The form at the Warin Chamrap office has an English translation below the Thai.

[andrew55]

What would be best, is not to get married, and not give her money to buy land.

Why?

Edited April 28, 2016 by andrew55

[Crossy]

Happily married, it was her money, she was a bit shocked to find out that if she wanted to buy any land or property that I had to be there to sign the relevant document.

The form at the Warin Chamrap office has an English translation below the Thai.

Wifey did not take my name when we married, in fact she changed it back to her original maiden name from her Thai married name.

She's still "Mrs" but I wasn't asked to sign the usual form at the land office even though I was there when she bought "our" land.

[blackcab]

NOT true; a Thai' female can be legally married to a Farang, but that does NOT mean she has to change her Last Name on any of her Thai Legal Documents !

The thing to remember is that land, under Thai' Law, can NEVER be lawfully registered in a NON-THAI name or entity; simple as that !

Never say never. In certain limited situations land can be registered in the name of a non-Thai entity.

There is also a provision in the law to register land to a non Thai individual, but it is extremely unlikely that the provision would be used.

[MusV]

As I married at Bangraak I meet an foreigner (German) which said the ownership of land / house can new shared 50% / 50% between Thai / Foreigner.

Is this true and if how?

Actually I have another question and found some answers in here (thanks for that) but not accurate enough ...

My wife and I would like to buy land / house (only land and build up house or land with already having house) for our child future and prevent father and mother from possible upcoming problems. Meaning, as long we stay together as a family ... everything fine. If not ... father or mother stay with child. But the land or and cant be sold from father or mother either.

Sooo, we have been in Keo, where we found nice land and ... the officer denied.

The mother can own and on the paper. Later one months hmmm ... it can be changed on the child name.

Das sounds to strange for me, once the woman has the cannot, she will not give it away ... why not straight on child name?

You find me confused, thank you for ... explanation and help.

If I'm wrong here. Sorry and just replace the post to the right place.

[Paul944]

The missing information is the age of the child.