Authorities cancel forum on 99-year leases for foreign investors

[webfact]

Authorities cancel forum on 99-year leases for foreign investors
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Authorities have ordered that an academic seminar scheduled for Sunday be postponed because it would feature criticism of the government’s policy to lease land to foreign investors for 99 years.

 

Kasetsart University lecturer and seminar panellist Decharut Sukkumnoed posted on Facebook that the seminar had been ordered to be cancelled, with the military, police and local authorities stating that the 99-year investment policy had not been officially implemented.

 

The Thai Lawyer for Human Rights Centre also reported on Twitter that soldiers visited the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation Office in Nonthaburi and asked the foundation to cancel the event, which had been scheduled to take place at its offices.

 

The centre also reported that the military had asked the foundation to hand over a list of its committee members.

 

Although the seminar has been cancelled, Decharut said he would still discuss the 99-year land lease policy on Sunday at another public venue.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30312688

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-19

[taichiplanet]

yeah, don't want to end up like Hong Kong; a 99 year lease to the British and then handed back to China.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Does not really send out any good vibes for potential investors.

[Thailand]

I thought that it was a 50 year lease that was under consideration?

 

A 99 year lease would see a nassive property boom.

[steven100]

Who's gonna be around in 99 years   .....

[fforest1]

23 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Who's gonna be around in 99 years   .....

All the Beer I drink and cigarettes I smoke every day keeps

me young....I should make it to 150 easy....

[BEVUP]

26 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Who's gonna be around in 99 years   .....

Exactly that's why there no doubt are thinking about it & will have the hidden clause of what is ours shall remain ours

& Thaichip got it right as all the government around the world (maybe England being the exception) couldn't work out why China was in massive construction frenzy. Maybe winning the lottery Hong Kong being first prize might have had something to do with it

[Raymonddiaz]

it's their right to be against this policy. I don't agree with them but let them speak out their opinion. That's democracy! Freedom of expression.

[Mickmouse1]

How about cancelling all work permits and the right to own  or buy condos for THEM BLOODY FOREIGNERS ?

Just compensate them and chuck the lot out of LOS. that will also reduce if not eliminate the high number of SUICIDE CASES?No more nutters come 2 Thailand to komit seawiside

[Mickmouse1]

1 minute ago, Raymonddiaz said:

it's their right to be against this policy. I don't agree with them but let them speak out their opinion. That's democracy! Freedom of expression.

Not here or else!

[lordblackader]

Uga buga foreign investors. It's little wonder that neighboring countries with more liberal foreign investment laws are either ahead of Thailand, or to the East about 5-10 years from surpassing it. Even a communist dictatorship such as Vietnam now has better foreign investment rules than Thailand, speaks volumes for the absurd xenophobia coming from Bangkok. 

[Happy Grumpy]

47 minutes ago, Raymonddiaz said:

it's their right to be against this policy. I don't agree with them but let them speak out their opinion.

 

 That's not how Thais, or North Koreans operate. 

[Enoon]

9 hours ago, lordblackader said:

Uga buga foreign investors. It's little wonder that neighboring countries with more liberal foreign investment laws are either ahead of Thailand, or to the East about 5-10 years from surpassing it. Even a communist dictatorship such as Vietnam now has better foreign investment rules than Thailand, speaks volumes for the absurd xenophobia coming from Bangkok. 

 

It's not about xenophobia, it's about conservation.

 

The foundation is understandably concerned about the damage that would undoubtedly be wrought upon what remains of Thailands natural heritage by foreign companies leasing vast tracts of land for long term exploitation.

That is their "business":

The Seub Nakhasathien Foundation - มูลนิธิสืบนาคะเสถียร

"Seub started his first assignment in Khaokhew-Khaochompoo Wildlife Sancturary in Chonburi province.  His duties had pushed him to enforce forestry law.  It was here that he arrested many forest intruders without fear of influential ones." 

Seub Nakhasathien - Wikipedia

 

Not a problem for the authorities of course, as their prime target market will be an ethnic group who are (for so many of the ruling caste) in effect, not so distant, "cousins".

 

No wonder the state is so keen to shut the foundation up.

 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2017 by Enoon

[kannot]

12 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Does not really send out any good vibes for potential investors.

on two counts, one they dont really want it and two the army telling them to stop the seminar....clueless as usual

[rodney earl]

Why does that not surprise. me!!

[humqdpf]

22 hours ago, steven100 said:

Who's gonna be around in 99 years   .....

The bastards who gave you a mortgage on the property!

 

The problem with short leases is that mortgage providers don't think that they will get fair market value for your property in the event of a default, say after 10 years. 

 

Yes, there are special markets where 40 year leases are handed out but they are for very very high end properties in London and for very high prices and where no buyer is looking for a standard mortgage.

[Destiny1990]

Are seminars about 20 years land leases  allowed?

Edited April 20, 2017 by Destiny1990

[Canceraid]

Hmm! All the foreigners deserved it! Stop imparting know how knowledge to the thais! Stop visiting and buying thai products. Lobby your governments back home to boycott thai products and to seize all thai investments and assets and make it difficult for thais to work in all other countries. Make all kinds of medicine that is made or patented or invented overseas very expensive for thais and punish them when they break patent rules on medications etc.Do not accept thai students overseas etc.  Harrass thais when you see them overseas. Treat them these way till they realise to stop being xenophobic. But at the same time do not forget, they are decent and  good thais too. Not all are the same . (there are about 3 % or less, decent, educated thais who are not xenophobic.)

[shadowmaster1971]

20 hours ago, taichiplanet said:

yeah, don't want to end up like Hong Kong; a 99 year lease to the British and then handed back to China.

No HK was not a 99 year lease.  Only the "new territories" were a 99 year lease. The rest on HK i.e. HK Island and parts of Kowloon were ceded in perpetuity to Britain from China.  The new territories contained much of HK power and water infrastructure so when the lease was due to expire there were thoughts China would cut that infrastructure.  Today buying property in HK is in effect predominantly leasehold.

[elgordo38]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

 

BANGKOK: -- Authorities have ordered that an academic seminar scheduled for Sunday be postponed because it would feature criticism of the government’s policy to lease land to foreign investors for 99 years.

Yes you  may have to turn the computer crimes act/LM inward. 

[Destiny1990]

51 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Yes you  may have to turn the computer crimes act/LM inward. 

What government policy to have land leases for foreign investors of 99 years?for what i know the policy is only 30 years.

[bamukloy]

TITV

 

They stated the forum was cancelled because they havent finalised the laws and detail..

 

And if course 75% of posters here go rabid and foaming at the mouth 

Lol

[Destiny1990]

51 minutes ago, bamukloy said:

TITV

 

They stated the forum was cancelled because they havent finalised the laws and detail..

 

And if course 75% of posters here go rabid and foaming at the mouth 

Lol

A game changer if they did and hopefully an end to these fake companies structures.

[williamgeorgeallen]

i wonder if leases really work. i have heard of people being chucked out of long leases when the property goes up in value. not a lot of protection for a foreign leaser when the owner turns up with his brother in law policeman to evict them.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

WHAT "99-year investment policy had not been officially implemented"???

 

They've been talking about the proposal for 50 years. But I don't recall anything about a 99-years proposal, or who would be eligible for that kind of treatment.

 

[scottiejohn]

23 hours ago, Mickmouse1 said:

Not here or else!

As your 'location' shows Borneo where is 'here' in regards to your posts above?

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

What government policy to have land leases for foreign investors of 99 years?for what i know the policy is only 30 years.

I think in time you will be able to "pick a number"

[jayboy]

4 hours ago, bamukloy said:

TITV

 

They stated the forum was cancelled because they havent finalised the laws and detail..

 

And if course 75% of posters here go rabid and foaming at the mouth 

Lol

Your comment doesn't make much sense.I would have thought that  if the details haven't been finalised, that underlines the rationale and need for a forum.Bureaucrats could sit in, observe and comment.But it's absolute insanity to have soldiers clumping around.

[bamukloy]

3 hours ago, jayboy said:

Your comment doesn't make much sense.I would have thought that  if the details haven't been finalised, that underlines the rationale and need for a forum.Bureaucrats could sit in, observe and comment.But it's absolute insanity to have soldiers clumping around.

The way i read it, they postponed the forum because they havent finished the final draft of the law, therefor its pretty much useless for all and sundry to speculate on this and that.

 

But i guess if Thaivisa had to follow such logic, a lot of poor sad buggers would be a lot more sad and bored.

[jayboy]

19 minutes ago, bamukloy said:

The way i read it, they postponed the forum because they havent finished the final draft of the law, therefor its pretty much useless for all and sundry to speculate on this and that.

 

But i guess if Thaivisa had to follow such logic, a lot of poor sad buggers would be a lot more sad and bored.

If that's the way you read it, you must have been looking at a different article since there is no possible interpretation of The Nation piece which supports your version.

 

Furthermore even in the "explanation" which frankly you appear to have invented or dreamed up is bafflingly wrongheaded.It is the purpose of such forums to "speculate on this and that", hopefully so that the final version will take into account or incorporate sensible views.

 

The involvement of the military is as previously noted is a deliciously insane element.