Govt may take ownership of farang houses in Thai names

[jumusman]

Move to Cambodia

"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up." "

Martin Niemöller,

I know your comment was in jest but it reminded me of this quote. Just because you are married and have a house or a retirement visa you think you are safe...If there is one thing I have learned living in this country its that the rules can change for anyone, at any moment.. Don't ever think you are in a special situation and won't be affected..

I read a few months ago some mumblings about how the Government might take ownership of houses owned by the wife's of falangs if the Thai national cannot prove that the house was purchased by money that she personally earned and not money brought in by the falang from overseas after they were married, which I would assume would be true 99.9% of the time in that situation, if not more...Yes this sounds extreme, but does it sound that far-fetched ? To me, not anymore.

For anyone that feels like this is a source of humor or that you are safe because you are retired or married and nothing will ever change for you... keep making jokes...I will keep reading the news..

[huahin4ever]

Move to Cambodia

"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up." "

Martin Niemöller,

I know your comment was in jest but it reminded me of this quote. Just because you are married and have a house or a retirement visa you think you are safe...If there is one thing I have learned living in this country its that the rules can change for anyone, at any moment.. Don't ever think you are in a special situation and won't be affected..

I read a few months ago some mumblings about how the Government might take ownership of houses owned by the wife's of falangs if the Thai national cannot prove that the house was purchased by money that she personally earned and not money brought in by the falang from overseas after they were married, which I would assume would be true 99.9% of the time in that situation, if not more...Yes this sounds extreme, but does it sound that far-fetched ? To me, not anymore.

For anyone that feels like this is a source of humor or that you are safe because you are retired or married and nothing will ever change for you... keep making jokes...I will keep reading the news..

I.e. a Thai citizen are not allowed to receive "gifts"???? In my case, my wife owns the house, I paid for it, but it's hers and I do not care to have any ownership in it. Can really Thai Authorities take it away from her even if I paid for it, but she got it as a gift? Sounds extremely far fetched for me!

The norm in all countries a ever lived is that if you are married whoever makes the money, it's both partners money when you are married.

Well I guess this is a bit outside of the topic, so if someone has opinions related to the two last post, maybe a Moderator can put it in a new thread?

Now

[caller]

I will keep reading the news..

It might help, instead of discussing, by your own admission, 'mumblings'!

[GLCQuantum]

Just one thing to add before we get back to topic . I don't think even the Thai authorities are ignorant enough to believe the 'gift' thing.

'Yes, it's a gift but... I'm gonna treat it as mine until I die".

[GLCQuantum]

I will keep reading the news..

It might help, instead of discussing, by your own admission, 'mumblings'!

I thought he raised a fair point. The main one being that you can't predict anything here so should always be prepared for the worst case scenario.

[jumusman]

I will keep reading the news..

It might help, instead of discussing, by your own admission, 'mumblings'!

True, but allot of these topics start out as "mumblings".. In fact this particular one about having to study 8 hours minimum a week started about 5 months or so ago on the Thai Visa Forum. Sometimes mumblings have foundations, sometimes they don't.. Only time will tell.

[jingjoe]

the wife would only have to prove where the funds for the land came from,the falang can own the house but not the land,in some cases the wife already owns the land,make sure the building permit for the house is in the westerners name,no probs.Or buy the house before getting married and get a 30 year lease on land,next week get married

[GLCQuantum]

I will keep reading the news..

It might help, instead of discussing, by your own admission, 'mumblings'!

True, but allot of these topics start out as "mumblings".. In fact this particular one about having to study 8 hours minimum a week started about 5 months or so ago on the Thai Visa Forum. Sometimes mumblings have foundations, sometimes they don't.. Only time will tell.

^

'Thou shalt not mention that website.'

Please abide by the rules.

[jumusman]

I didn't know that. Sorry..

[GLCQuantum]

Just joking.

You can't post links to it though. Apart from some news items, it's crap anyway.

[caller]

Sometimes mumblings have foundations, sometimes they don't.. Only time will tell.

Absolutely, but the problem, as evidenced above, is that until something official is actually declared, it's just rumour, not news.

[Rider]

Move to Cambodia

"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew"

Martin Niemöller,

I know your comment was in jest but it reminded me of this quote. Just because you are married and have a house or a retirement visa you think you are safe...If there is one thing I have learned living in this country its that the rules can change for anyone, at any moment.. Don't ever think you are in a special situation and won't be affected.

I read a few months ago some mumblings about how the Government might take ownership of houses owned by the wife's of falangs if the Thai national cannot prove that the house was purchased by money that she personally earned and not money brought in by the falang from overseas after they were married, which I would assume would be true 99.9% of the time in that situation, if not more...Yes this sounds extreme, but does it sound that far-fetched ? To me, not anymore.

Thailand is a very nationalist country and it is going much more nationalist as time goes on. The working classes are casually racist and lip-service nationalist but on an Asian level not a European nationalist level (not that anywhere in Europe really has this anymore, the last monarchy to have this was probably Romanov Russia. Nowadays maybe Hungary or perhaps Eastern Europe). For Thailand once you climb higher on the rungs of the ladder it's much more nationalistic. Just watch the news or some of the shows on the military channel etc.

The Thais are doing this slowly so that you get used to it. It's akin to the boiling frog, you do it slow and it doesn't notice it until it's too late.
Yep, the house-fantasy will be just that in the near-future. The reason is it's unsustainable for a nationalist country like Thailand to import a western model of farang men (even old retirees) decade in, decade out. The full-throttle days are over, it's just the last gasps we are in right now.

[richard]

I went through a similar transition when living in Zimbabwe. I was OK as I was working for the Zimbabwe government and funded by the British government but as soon as my contract completed it was goodbye, thank you very much. I witnessed several people who over the years had liquidated their assets in the west and invested in Zimbabwe only to find there asset value dropping as the government tightened it's grip.

A common saying by the 'Rhodies' there was 'when the Jewish community leaves it's time to think about moving. When the Indian community starts to leave it's time to get out'

That is why I rent here and will never buy.

[Lung Per]

These "mublings" come out from time to time. The last time I think was Suthep.
There´s a lot of envy around.

[Spitfire]

Just rumours, like we keep hearing about the business owner thing periodically too....but little ever seems to happen. Often, these things are just from some jobsworth in Thai bureaucracy trying to justify his job or get a promotion. Actually doing something about this situation (like the business owners one too) is a Mount Everest of a job and would take years and years, cost a fortune and they are not really kitted out to follow through on it. There must be 100s of thousands of houses and business to investigate.....pfft.

True, they are nationalistic, and it's true that things can change swiftly here but it would create a massive amount of ill-will from the business investor sector and from foreigners (even on a diplomatic level) plus a lot of resentment from their own people who would lose out......not the route to "happiness" imo.

Even if they did start, it would plainly show their racism and resentment even of their own people getting ahead or on in/with life. It would be a huge own goal because the way it is now the real winners are Thais, Thailand's economy/tourist trade and the locals are not afraid to show their discontent these days over almost anything.

Personally, imo, you'd have thought they had enough problems to sort out than worry about some obscure situation like non Thais assisting Thais in quality of life and social security......if that's not true then what bunch of petty elitist nazis and would be exposed as such.

Oh, BTW, alcohol is banned for New Year and Songkran too.