British 'developer' arrested on Samui in illegal land deal

Post by **Jockey** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:12 am

Klikster - you wrote - "Sure you can "buy" property here .. but you can't own it. It's illegal" And please expand on how my comments " .. undermine the credibility of forums such as this."

Klikster - I'm not going to get involved in these silly tit-for-tat point scoring arguments. All I will say is I have bought property here, I own it and its 100% legal

Post by **Big Boy** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:03 am

klikster wrote:

Do I remember correctly that you are associated with the real estate / property / development business?

Jockey is associated, but I have been noticing his posts over the last few months, and he has only been giving out sound advice.

I certainly can't remember an occasion when he has deliberately tried to mislead people.

Post by **johnnyk** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:21 am

Far as I can see Jockey is associated with the real estate biz but he hasn't been on HHAD promoting his business. He has responded to the best of his knowledge and I for one find his posts worth reading.
Keep on keeping on Jockey.

Post by **klikster** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:25 am

Jockey wrote:Klikster - you wrote - "Sure you can "buy" property here .. but you can't own it. It's illegal" And please expand on how my comments " .. undermine the credibility of forums such as this."

yes, I know what I wrote.

Jockey wrote: Klikster - I'm not going to get involved in these silly tit-for-tat point scoring arguments.

Then I guess I'm wondering about your surly response to my post .. which was directed at others. IOW, you started something that you can't finish.

Jockey wrote:All I will say is I have bought property here, I own it and its 100% legal

If you say so.

Post by **klikster** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:29 am

Big Boy wrote:klikster wrote:
Do I remember correctly that you are associated with the real estate / property / development business?
Jockey is associated, but I have been noticing his posts over the last few months, and he has only been giving out sound advice.

I certainly can't remember an occasion when he has deliberately tried to mislead people.

Well, he just posted that he bought property, owns it and it is 100% legal. If that's an accurate statement, knowing how it's done would be "sound advice".

Post by **klikster** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:37 am

johnnyk wrote:Far as I can see Jockey is associated with the real estate biz but he hasn't been on HHAD promoting his business.

I didn't say he had .. didn't even mention him .. my post didn't reference his. Yet he decided to take a slap at yours truly. .. then ran away when slapped in return.

johnnyk wrote: He has responded to the best of his knowledge ..

If he bought property, owns proerty and it is 100% legal .. and doesn't say how .. then I would say he has not " ..responded to the best of his knowledge .."

Unless, of course, he is not a foreigner .. unless that "property" is a condo .. .. unless that "property" was purchased by a trust or a BOI company .. or

Post by **johnnyk** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:45 am

klikster wrote:
johnnyk wrote:Far as I can see Jockey is associated with the real estate biz but he hasn't been on HHAD promoting his business.
I didn't say he had .. didn't even mention him .. my post didn't reference his. Yet he decided to take a slap at yours truly. .. then ran away when slapped in return.

johnnyk wrote: He has responded to the best of his knowledge ..
If he bought property, owns proerty and it is 100% legal .. and doesn't say how .. then I would say he has not " ..responded to the best of his knowledge .."

Unless, of course, he is not a foreigner .. unless that "property" is a condo .. .. unless that "property" was purchased by a trust or a BOI company .. or

not attacking you man, i'm impartial, simply stating what i've observed.

Post by **KelpieKiss** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:55 pm

klikster wrote: Sure you can "buy" property here .. but you can't own it. It's illegal.

This does seem like a bit of a sweeping, pointless statement. Are you trying to suggest that every Farang who has bought property here is breaking the law? Condos ARE property. If you're going to come out with statements like this, you should be more specific or you're just going to confuse people.

Incidently, there are houses here which have condominium status. Farangs can BUY and OWN them 100% freehold and 100% legal.

Post by **Big Boy** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:26 pm

Why oh why can't we have a discussion on property on this forum without somebody resorting to personal attacks? From what I've seen, we are talking about a guy that is trying his best to offer good advice (I don't always agree with everything he says, but that is just the nature of a public forum), and rather than build on that advice, somebody always wants to go on the attack. This seems to happen time after time.

If you disagree, you don't have to go on the attack - simply put your point of view and the discussion will grow. If there are people out there trying to make a point at the expense of others, please say what you mean rather than leave the rest of us wondering why.

If you've had a bad experience with property, be specific, share it with us - don't resort to ruining other threads with a hidden agenda.

I'm out of this thread now - its obviously died. Here's to the next one

Post by **chelsea** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:54 pm

This has been going on in Samui for a while now. Was there about 18 months ago and the same type of things happening in regard to the selling and owning of land.

There was Europeans that had links to Bikie gangs overseas and they also rekon here in Australia all tied up in it, so is not a new happening overthere.

While we were in a European run bar in the Chaewang, there were frantic phone calls being made to the owners mates to warn them what was going on and to expect visits from the local police.

Next day was all over the local papers and people being arrested (both thai and non thai) left right and centre.

Just goes to show that renting is a much safer option in LOS that going through all the hassle of buying property over there.

Post by **caller** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:02 pm

Well I guess it's a bit of a wait and see situation for expat enclaves other than Samui at the moment.

But the fact action was taken in the hinterland at Hua Hin suggests the authorities are taking the action outlined in the article.

Shades of Spain?

Post by **klikster** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:22 pm

KelpieKiss wrote:
klikster wrote: Sure you can "buy" property here .. but you can't own it. It's illegal.
This does seem like a bit of a sweeping, pointless statement. Are you trying to suggest that every Farang who has bought property here is breaking the law? Condos ARE property. If you're going to come out with statements like this, you should be more specific or you're just going to confuse people.

Incidently, there are houses here which have condominium status. Farangs can BUY and OWN them 100% freehold and 100% legal.

Who is trying to confuse who? Look at the title of the thread .. it references land.

Post by **klikster** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:37 pm

Big Boy wrote: Why oh why can't we have a discussion on property on this forum without somebody resorting to personal attacks?

I assume you are directing this at me? If so, I didn't made a personal attack on anyone.

Big Boy wrote: From what I've seen, we are talking about a guy that is trying his best to offer good advice (I don't always agree with everything he says, but that is just the nature of a public forum), and rather than build on that advice, somebody always wants to go on the attack. This seems to happen time after time.

I responded to a post re: "selling land". Individual foreigners can't own land in Thailand.

Big Boy wrote: If you disagree, you don't have to go on the attack - simply put your point of view and the discussion will grow.

That's exactly what I did! I did not reference Jockey's post originally .. go back and review the thread .. yet he chose to reference mine and took a cheap shot at me

Big Boy wrote: If there are people out there trying to make a point at the expense of others, please say what you mean rather than leave the rest of us wondering why.

If you've had a bad experience with property, be specific, share it with us - don't resort to ruining other threads with a hidden agenda.

I'm out of this thread now - its obviously died. Here's to the next one

I have no hidden agenda. If you think that individual foreigners can own land in Thailand, please provide evidence. I simply think that people who come here to ask questions about buying property should get straight answers. Do you think otherwise.

Big Boy, you took a cheap shot at me as well by saying I made a personal attack. Shame on you.

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:59 pm

Sorry klikster you just said that you were talking about land, but your first post was in response to a post that was talking about buying your dream home, you quoted it in your post.
when I read your first post about it being illegal I thought you were talking about a home. were you only talking about land only ? i'm confused now

please clarify for me, thanks

Post by **klikster** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:31 pm

Super Joe wrote:Sorry klikster you just said that you were talking about land, but your first post was in response to a post that was talking about buying your dream home, you quoted it in your post.
when I read your first post about it being illegal I thought you were talking about a home. were you only talking about land only ? i'm confused now please clarify for me, thanks

Actually, the reason I responded in the way I did, was because the thread was about a shady land deal.

Under certain circumstances, a foreigner can own a house on a plot of land, but they cannot legally take title to the land. So if your dream home is a condo, you can own that legally under certain circumstances. But if your dream home includes the plot of freehold land on which it is built, you simply cannot own it as an individual.

Thai companies can own land legally. Several schemes involving proxy shareholders have been used in the past as a means of circumventing the alien property law, but most are illegal. The new government is making noises about cracking down on these types of companies. They actually could force dissolution of many existing companies that some say are "grandfathered".

Even a BOI promoted company can only own land so long as it a viable company. But if the "company" dissolves, the land must be sold to a Thai.

But don't take my word for it. If you are considering the purchase of a house, you should consult a knowledgeable and honest Thai attorney. The US Embassy website has a list that they consider reliable.

Do not take advice from property developers or sales agents.