Recommendation on Property Lawyer

[SlyAnimal]

I'm looking into buying an apartment here in Phuket, and so was looking for a recommendation on a good lawyer to use for the transfer of title + check that the legal stuff is all correct.

 

If you guys could recommend one that you've used in the past and find to be trustworthy, competent and not excessively priced that'd be great.

[Lamkyong]

 trustworthy, competent and not excessively priced   even on a good day  very difficult

[KittenKong]

4 hours ago, SlyAnimal said:

I'm looking into buying an apartment here in Phuket, and so was looking for a recommendation on a good lawyer to use for the transfer of title + check that the legal stuff is all correct.

 

Assuming that you are buying a freehold condo (NOT an apartment which, as a foreigner, you cannot buy) from another farang and that it is in his/her name then you dont actually need a lawyer as all the registration and transfer work is done by the Land Office. You might like to engage a lawyer to check everything for you at the Land Office and only a very minimal payment should be required as the lawyer will have virtually nothing to do.

 

If you are buying in company name (why?) or are buying leasehold (why?) then a lawyer would have more to do.

[eisfeld]

Trustworthy lawyer in Phuket... tough one. Easier in BKK. But your embassy/consulate might be able to recommend a lawyer that probably wont cheat you out of everything. :)

[Flustered]

Sam Fauma at

 

http://www.ilo-phuket.com/companylawyers.html

 

Honest guy, Rotarian and trustworthy. Costs nothing to call him and ask for advice.

[federicoP]

Me too I suggest Sam Fauma.

I had, and have, personal and good experience with his office.

In my opinion they are not cheap but, if you plan to buy a property in Thailand, it is really worth to spend some money to have a good and trustworthy lawyer here.

 

I have friends that chose a cheap lawyer :  he "forgot" to register their leasing contract within the first three years, and now they have lost what they thought to have bought

[phuketrichard]

LOL;;;sam who got his start in Patong trying to get people to buy suits from Indian tailors  

[Flustered]

On 2017-6-1 at 4:05 AM, phuketrichard said:

LOL;;;sam who got his start in Patong trying to get people to buy suits from Indian tailors  

And your aid to the OP request is to rubbish a respected Lawyer who has helped many people as well as his charity and Rotarian work.

 

When I was transferring some land, my initial visit to him ( nearly one hour) cost no more than a donation in the glass jar at reception for the Orphans home. Afterwards, his staff carried out the work quickly and efficientlly and at a reasonable rate.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Good move OP.  

 

The price of property, especially in a tropical paradise like Phuket, only ever goes up.

 

And the light rail system will be fully completed in just 23 short months from now.

 

Be aware that if you are purchasing near the new rail line you will be subject to the Junta's new 5% windfall tax.

 

[fatdrunkandstupid]

3 hours ago, Flustered said:

And your aid to the OP request is to rubbish a respected Lawyer who has helped many people as well as his charity and Rotarian work.

 

When I was transferring some land, my initial visit to him ( nearly one hour) cost no more than a donation in the glass jar at reception for the Orphans home. Afterwards, his staff carried out the work quickly and efficientlly and at a reasonable rate.

The OP asked for the details of a LAWYER.

 

Sam Fauma is not a lawyer, nor, as a foreigner, is he permitted to work as one pursuant to Thai law.

 

Sam has however, moved up in the world, instead of funneling people into a tailor shop, he now funnels people into a law office.  Therein that office one will find Thai lawyers.

Edited June 4, 2017 by fatdrunkandstupid

[Flustered]

I am fully aware of Thai Law and it's restrictions. Foreign  Lawyers can and do act as consultants and advisers with a Thai lawyer signing the work off.

Sam acts as an advisor and his company has excellent Thai lawyers. He is a first point of contact. He gave me excellent advice and his company Lawyers were very good.

 

Seeing as you are so knowledgeable, perhaps you could offer advice as to a good lawyer or is your aim simply to knock Sam Fauma whom you obviously dislike or are you exactly as your Forum Name?

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Just now, Flustered said:

I am fully aware of Thai Law and it's restrictions. Foreign  Lawyers can and do act as consultants and advisers with a Thai lawyer signing the work off.

Sam acts as an advisor and his company has excellent Thai lawyers. He is a first point of contact. He gave me excellent advice and his company Lawyers were very good.

 

Seeing as you are so knowledgeable, perhaps you could offer advice as to a good lawyer or is your aim simply to knock Sam Fauma whom you obviously dislike or are you exactly as your Forum Name?

No, you're wrong again, the provision of legal advice by a foreigner in Thailand is illegal.

 

There is no need for the OP to engage a lawyer.  The tasks he refers to in his post will be handled well enough by the LTO.

 

However, if he does want the details of a capable Thai lawyer, he can PM me.

[NamKangMan]

Here's a link to The Ministry of Labor - Occupations and professions prohibited for foreign workers.

 

http://www.mol.go.th/en/content/page/6347

 

"39.  Legal service or lawsuit work."

[federicoP]

It appears to me that now this is becoming a void discussion about nothing.

 

The OP simply asked a "good lawyer" , and possibly "one that you've used in the past and find to be trustworthy, competent and not excessively priced".

 

May I suggest, without mentioning a specific name, to contact the International Law Office ( http://www.ilo-phuket.com/companylawyers.html ) where I had, and have, very good personal experience ?

 

[SlyAnimal]

Ok I e-mailed the international law office and said that I was reccommended to see Sam.

He sent me a list of prices for what I was after, and they seemed excessive (In NZ, for the same services I'd pay somewhere between 20,000 THB - 40,000 THB, which they're charging 100,000 - 150,000 THB for).

 

So I'm going to need to take another look around.

Also please no rubbish about work permits and restricted professions for lawyers.  This is a real thread, where the advice I'm looking for is of actual importance, so I'd prefer to not have it derailed because trolls wanna troll.

 

Any good Thai lawyers you can reccommend?  That was actually more what I was looking for, rather than Farang lawyers (I had assumed they'd only do international law, for multi-nationals etc), as I assume that they're generally going to be excessively priced like the one above?  As most Thai lawyers, especially in Phuket, should be able to speak a bit of English, but if not I'm not too fussed as my wife can deal with them anyway.

Edited June 5, 2017 by SlyAnimal

[LivinginKata]

Yes, Sam at ILO is expensive.  21 years ago when I was a Phuket newbie I called into their office and was astonished at their fees - more than I would have paid in my home country.

 

I ended up doing the 30 year lease transfer by myself and with the translation help of my then new Thai g/f (now wife), plus the help of the land office staff/lawyers.

 

Since then we have never used a law office in the purchase of a number of Phuket land plots, or the transfer of my 30 year lease to another Brit.  

[SlyAnimal]

7 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

Yes, Sam at ILO is expensive.  21 years ago when I was a Phuket newbie I called into their office and was astonished at their fees - more than I would have paid in my home country.

 

I ended up doing the 30 year lease transfer by myself and with the translation help of my then new Thai g/f (now wife), plus the help of the land office staff/lawyers.

 

Since then we have never used a law office in the purchase of a number of Phuket land plots, or the transfer of my 30 year lease to another Brit.  

 

Yeah if all lawyers cost that kind of money, I'd be tempted to do it myself, as they "shouldn't" have anything tricky/hidden, but I'm sure that there will be lawyers charging less, it's Thailand afterall.  When I purchased a plot of land here in Isaan, I got a lawyer in (The vendor was agast that I wouldn't just use the Pu Yai Baan) to just oversee the agreement and check a few things for 5000 THB (We still went to the land office ourselves).  I know that Phuket is expensive, and I'd be wanting them to do a bit more due diligence, but I didn't expect 20x - 40x the cost lol.

 

It's just a Thai Freehold transfer into my wife's name, so it's really not something that should be expensive, I'm sure that Thai people wouldn't pay exorbitant prices like that, and although many of them would go to the land office themselves, I'm sure that someone is making a good living by doing everything for them at a fraction of the cost that ILO is charging.

Edited June 5, 2017 by SlyAnimal

[Scott]

A post has been removed.  

[LivinginKata]

12 minutes ago, SlyAnimal said:

<snip>

 I know that Phuket is expensive, and I'd be wanting them to do a bit more due diligence, but I didn't expect 20x - 40x the cost lol.

 

 

Due diligence .... get real. At best they read the history on the back of the Chanote paper (in the case of a land purchase which should show any loans on the property, indeed the original paper would be i the hands of the loan company.

 

Not sure what paperwork involved in a condo freehold. So cannot comment. 

[schlog]

For land transfer you really need no laywer. Never needed one in all the years at the  Land office.

 

Last year i needed one on another subject. They were fair, good and not expensive.

 

Siam Legal (Phuket) Co., Ltd.
123 / 27-28 Moo 5, Bangtao Place
T. Cherngtalay, A. Thalang,
Phuket, Thailand 83110

Tel: 07-632-6322