How to recover money from an estate developer in Thailand ?

[GPThai]

Living since 2013 in Thailand, I decided to buy a condominium unit in Phuket area.

The developer did not deliver the project on time... and, as of today, refuses to reimburse the advance payments we made.

Under the argument that they are having a legal dispute with the land owner and this must be solved first.

What is the best way to force them to fulfill their contractual obligations ?

- police complaint

- lawyer

- Phuket governor offices

- central Bangkok authorities

- ...

Thanks for your return of experience if any

[KittenKong]

All the above, plus national media (especially if you have formed some sort of buyers action group that is prepared to wave banners outside of the developer's office and the offices of local officials), plus the Office of Consumer Protection.

[CRUNCHER]

Was this the Emerald Nirvana?  Nearly bought because it looked a good project until I discovered the developer only had an option to buy the land.

[GPThai]

This is EMERALD Ao Nang project in Krabi

Concerning lawyers, are some recommended (and some: not) in Phuket / Krabi ?

[NormanW]

It will take many years if not resolved quickly.

[elgordo38]

Again fortifies my thinking never buy nothin here. The lawyer leeches come crawling out of the woodwork and make money everyone else looses. 

[elgordo38]

Just now, NormanW said:

It will take many years if not resolved quickly.

Just like a bad marriage. 

[TheFishman1]

TIt

[steven100]

sorry to hear of your loss .....     TIT ...    caveat emptor  .....

 

Happened recently in Bangkok ....  expats lost their money ... developer shut shop

[Rhys]

 

Sad to hear about your plight....

 

The road you face is long and lonely with many distractions along the way, you face it alone, with many holes.  Do what you must to get to your destination and ultimately accept, sadly your loss.

 

All the best.

[Borzandy]

23 hours ago, GPThai said:

Under the argument that they are having a legal dispute with the land owner and this must be solved first.

The developer didn't pay the land and the land owner never been asked to sell it...

[Foozool]

I guess they have a good excuse for not giving back your money. 

I'm not sure what actually could be the real issue with the land owner, but seems it is not easy to get the money back since the problem not caused by the developer.

I wish you patients. 

Personally , I hate buying what does not exist. Paying in advance to these wolves who want to gamble by your money is not a good idea.

 

[steven100]

4 minutes ago, Borzandy said:

The developer didn't pay the land and the land owner never been asked to sell it...

who's to say the land owner and developer didn't plan this ....   TIT

[janclaes47]

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

who's to say the land owner and developer didn't plan this ....   TIT

From Chruncher's post this very clearly the case, since the developer has at least 2 projects with the same issue.

 

Here you find a 24/4/2017 update on the second project which seemingly started in 2014, and so far nothing has happened yet.

 

 

[steven100]

1 minute ago, janclaes47 said:

From Chruncher's post this very clearly the case, since the developer has at least 2 projects with the same issue.

 

Here you find a 24/4/2017 update on the second project which seemingly started in 2014, and so far nothing has happened yet.

 

 

interesting .....  if thats the case ..... I would be sorry to say GPthai ....  forget about your money ....  the reality is it's gone ...

[steven100]

GPthai ... sorry for your loss ....  how much was put in  ??

[ujayujay]

Take a good Lawyer. Everything else is waste of Time.

[steven100]

1 minute ago, ujayujay said:

Take a good Lawyer. Everything else is waste of Time.

put more money in to chase money you'll never see ......   

[ujayujay]

20 minutes ago, steven100 said:

put more money in to chase money you'll never see ......   

If you think, this case will get solved for freeOK?!?!

....so you really think, Police, Governor Office or Bangkok Authority will help? They don't do nothing.

A good Lawyer will help you to get the Money back. In case of a trail the guilt have to cover the process cost as well as the legal costs. This is also practice here in thailand.

[steven100]

Just now, ujayujay said:

If you think, this case will get solved for freeOK?!?!

....so you really think, Police, Governor Office or Bangkok Authority will help? They don't do nothing.

A good Lawyer will help you to get the Money back. In case of a trail the guilt have to cover the process cost as well as the legal costs. This is also practice here in thailand.

that's what i'm saying ...  chances are OP will never see his money again ....  unfortunately ...      you don't understand comic english obviously ...

[bazza73]

2 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

Again fortifies my thinking never buy nothin here. The lawyer leeches come crawling out of the woodwork and make money everyone else looses. 

Careful now. You'll have all the "owners" who think we are too cash-strapped to buy a condo unit on your case.

[JJJIIIMMM]

we had a similar problem by the sounds of it.  The wife and i went to the local police station and offered them a cut if they could help.  they were straight on the phone and rounded the guy up, and we were sat opposite him in the police station the next morning.  we ended up getting half of our money back, and paid the police less than 10 % of the money retrieved.  half was better than nothing.  we tried the court route initially but was expensive and slow

[steven100]

15 minutes ago, JJJIIIMMM said:

we had a similar problem by the sounds of it.  The wife and i went to the local police station and offered them a cut if they could help.  they were straight on the phone and rounded the guy up, and we were sat opposite him in the police station the next morning.  we ended up getting half of our money back, and paid the police less than 10 % of the money retrieved.  half was better than nothing.  we tried the court route initially but was expensive and slow

you really think it's that simple ...  just get the local police to fix it all ....   your dreaming ...  this is alot harder than that .....   '  oh yeah mr policeman, we'll come down and chat and give the money back '

sorry ... but that's just unrealistic ...

[natway09]

Hate to laugh but just have to check a little further before handing over any monies,

You paid a developer a deposit when they did not own the land Get a new lawyer.

Good luck though with any retrieval but do not hold your breath

[JJJIIIMMM]

8 minutes ago, steven100 said:

you really think it's that simple ...  just get the local police to fix it all ....   your dreaming ...  this is alot harder than that .....   '  oh yeah mr policeman, we'll come down and chat and give the money back '

sorry ... but that's just unrealistic ...

 

it is what happened to us.  after three months going through the courts, we gave up and went to the cop shop.  i told my wife offer them 25%, but she offered them a much lower amount, unbeknown to me

 

people are scared of the cops remember....... especially dodgy people......

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, steven100 said:

put more money in to chase money you'll never see ......   

After politicians/governments the judiciary and  property developers lawyers are the next most despised thing on my list. Always there to feed on the leftovers.

[Fulwell53]

9 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

Again fortifies my thinking never buy nothin here. The lawyer leeches come crawling out of the woodwork and make money everyone else looses. 

Ye gods it didnt take long before the thread descended into thai bashing

Surprise surprise a condo development fails before completion and people lose deposits.

Again the usual suspects would have us believe unscrupulous developers and dodgy developments happen only in thailand.

They are commonplace in the us, uk, oz in fact all over the west.

You are always taking a risk with such investments.

Why turn these instances into thai bashing exercises.

Disgraceful

 

 

 

[Fulwell53]

5 hours ago, steven100 said:

you really think it's that simple ...  just get the local police to fix it all ....   your dreaming ...  this is alot harder than that .....   '  oh yeah mr policeman, we'll come down and chat and give the money back '

sorry ... but that's just unrealistic ...

The old saying ( paraphrased )

Nothing is easier to separate than a fool from his money

[elgordo38]

12 minutes ago, Fulwell53 said:

Ye gods it didnt take long before the thread descended into thai bashing

Surprise surprise a condo development fails before completion and people lose deposits.

Again the usual suspects would have us believe unscrupulous developers and dodgy developments happen only in thailand.

They are commonplace in the us, uk, oz in fact all over the west.

You are always taking a risk with such investments.

Why turn these instances into thai bashing exercises.

Disgraceful

 

 

 

Your not living in the us uk oz your living here. Posting here pertains to here. Here is where the interest lies not abroad. Coming from abroad I cannot remember the fraud on condo developments even coming close to here. Hub of??

[ericthai]

8 hours ago, ujayujay said:

If you think, this case will get solved for freeOK?!?!

....so you really think, Police, Governor Office or Bangkok Authority will help? They don't do nothing.

A good Lawyer will help you to get the Money back. In case of a trail the guilt have to cover the process cost as well as the legal costs. This is also practice here in thailand.

They way things look I would not be surprised the company planned all of this and will file bankruptcy.