I suspect you will see many more stories like this over the next year...
source: Bangkok Post: 19 Mar 2008
Another member of the Bandidos motorcycle gang, suspected of involvement in the drug trade and money laundering, has been arrested in Koh Samui by the Department of Special Investigation.
Pol Col Pravuth Wongsinil, chief of the consumer and environment protection unit, said Lauren Daniel James Fray, 32, is a British national and owner of Sabai Thani Property Co.
''Mr Fray entered Thailand as a tourist and used loopholes in Thai laws to buy and sell public land and real estate with the assistance of Thai lawyers,'' he said.
A source said Mr Fray held 49% of the company and used the names of employees to hold another 51% stake. He did not put his own money into the company.
Mr Fray bought property in Laem Mai Kaen. The DSI found the property belonged to the Treasury Department.
Mr Fray divided the land into nine plots. Thais who conspired with him pretended to buy them.
Mr Fray sold the sections for 22 million baht each to Sabai Thani in order to allow foreigners to occupy the land and houses as juristic persons.
''This caused the state to lose more than 70 million baht in taxes,'' DSI spokesman Pol Col Narat Sawettanant said. Mr Fray is charged with illegal buying and selling of land.
In July 2006, the DSI arrested Kim Lingegaard Neilsen, a member of the Bandidos, on Koh Samui
British 'developer' arrested on Samui in illegal land deal
There are huge problems in Samui regarding falsifying chanote papers, encroaching on government land etc. Its taken a while for the cases to go to court but apparently there is mega money involved, a lot of fraud, mafia style gangs etc. It'll be interesting to see what happens to the poor people who have been sold illegally owned land. If what I am told is true, the fallout could make world news.
Why stop at ".. international motorcycle gang"?STEVE G wrote:People keep looking for property advice so here is a good start; don't buy your dream home from a member of an international motorcycle gang.
Sure you can "buy" property here .. but you can't own it. It's illegal.
Beware of unprovoked comments!
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The understudy
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quote="STEVE G"]People keep looking for property advice so here is a good start; don't buy your dream home from a member of an international motorcycle gang.[/quote]
What Steve G says is dead right You don't buy Prpperty from a member of an international motorcycle band.
Which Mr. Fray from the Gang Bandidos who got busted by them Police clearly is.
In Berlin there's a motorcycle Gang war going on between the Hells Angels and their bitter rivals the Bandidos I followed the News of this War for a while but an older more exirienced colleague told me to Beat ti this ain't the turf for a young Journalist. There was an incident involving a Passenger Car full of Bandidos and and on two Hells Angels Motorbikes they both spotted each other on the opposite site on an Intersection somewhere east Berlin than a Brawl started. which in the end 2 of each Gang Members got shot and injured and the rest pretty beaten up. exept of those who got shot others fled the scene when them Cops arrived.
In short those Biker Gangs are involved in shady businesses as Drug Sales and trafficking, procuration or Womens ect. All of the Bad stigma and clichee which supposedly belong to their Motorcyle Rocker Gangs image. My wild guess that the Bandidos Member wanted to find ways to make big Money for them to coninue their Turf War against the their arch Rivals The Hells Angels
Your's The understudy!!!
What Steve G says is dead right You don't buy Prpperty from a member of an international motorcycle band.
Which Mr. Fray from the Gang Bandidos who got busted by them Police clearly is.
In Berlin there's a motorcycle Gang war going on between the Hells Angels and their bitter rivals the Bandidos I followed the News of this War for a while but an older more exirienced colleague told me to Beat ti this ain't the turf for a young Journalist. There was an incident involving a Passenger Car full of Bandidos and and on two Hells Angels Motorbikes they both spotted each other on the opposite site on an Intersection somewhere east Berlin than a Brawl started. which in the end 2 of each Gang Members got shot and injured and the rest pretty beaten up. exept of those who got shot others fled the scene when them Cops arrived.
In short those Biker Gangs are involved in shady businesses as Drug Sales and trafficking, procuration or Womens ect. All of the Bad stigma and clichee which supposedly belong to their Motorcyle Rocker Gangs image. My wild guess that the Bandidos Member wanted to find ways to make big Money for them to coninue their Turf War against the their arch Rivals The Hells Angels
Your's The understudy!!!
In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
Well at least one positive thing - Hua Hin has nowhere near the property problems there seems to be in Samui, in fact there are many in Samui who want to sell up and come to the more peaceful life in Hua Hin....as for Kliksters remark that "Sure you can "buy" property here .. but you can't own it. It's illegal", its comments like that undermine the credibility of forums such as this. I think what Klikster probably meant is a foreigner can not own land in Thailand, information which everyone plus the moon is well aware of!
STEVE G wrote:Thinking a bit further; don't buy property off anyone who owns a Harley. If they've paid two million baht for a motorcycle in Thailand, they are either a member of an international gang or making too much profit!
Interesting logic! So should I buy from a guy who drives a mercedes or a guy who rides a bicycle? 
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JimmyGreaves
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Yup, just seen it Here:
http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/23Mar2008_news07.php
Looks like Jockey's prediction has come true - nearer to home - quicker than even he imagined!?
Is this a one-off?
http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/23Mar2008_news07.php
Looks like Jockey's prediction has come true - nearer to home - quicker than even he imagined!?
Is this a one-off?
Talk is cheap
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sandman67
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- Location: I thought you had the map?
Jimmy
I read something about another land grab last week
....its three rich locals who bought 190 rai of land on the Karen "reserve" kings land, which is some sort of development project, via corrupt deals.
The Karen were granted non transferable deeds, so someone down the land office is also implicated. The whole thing sounded well dodgy.
It was in the Nation last week. It said originally there were over 300 families housed on the land, and now there are about 40 left.
The upshot is all the squatters, including our three rich ones, will be ejected unless they can show they are on the poverty line and actually need the land for subsistence farming. They want to prosecute the three rich sods who grabbed the 190 rai.
The interesting bit was whilst they didn't name em they said all three are prominent Thai citizens of HH and all three are / were intending moving into local politics.....
seems its not just Issan where the local politicians are waist deep in s**t.
I read something about another land grab last week
....its three rich locals who bought 190 rai of land on the Karen "reserve" kings land, which is some sort of development project, via corrupt deals.
The Karen were granted non transferable deeds, so someone down the land office is also implicated. The whole thing sounded well dodgy.
It was in the Nation last week. It said originally there were over 300 families housed on the land, and now there are about 40 left.
The upshot is all the squatters, including our three rich ones, will be ejected unless they can show they are on the poverty line and actually need the land for subsistence farming. They want to prosecute the three rich sods who grabbed the 190 rai.
The interesting bit was whilst they didn't name em they said all three are prominent Thai citizens of HH and all three are / were intending moving into local politics.....
seems its not just Issan where the local politicians are waist deep in s**t.
"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
You will see the report in the Bangkok post states - "Satellite images and global positioning system (GPS) technology will be used to identify the extent of the encroachment in the area".
The land office are using GPS to check for land encroachment and also they are looking for house projects which have been built but have not been registered at the land office. There are millions of baht involved in unpaid tax for houses not registered, (not only in Hua Hin), so the land office stand to gain a lot and any developer who has failed to register the houses on their projects will be in for a nasty shock. (So I've been told!)
The land office are using GPS to check for land encroachment and also they are looking for house projects which have been built but have not been registered at the land office. There are millions of baht involved in unpaid tax for houses not registered, (not only in Hua Hin), so the land office stand to gain a lot and any developer who has failed to register the houses on their projects will be in for a nasty shock. (So I've been told!)
I haven't seen any Thais asking for property advice here.Jockey wrote: ...as for Kliksters remark that "Sure you can "buy" property here .. but you can't own it. It's illegal", its comments like that undermine the credibility of forums such as this. I think what Klikster probably meant is a foreigner can not own land in Thailand, information which everyone plus the moon is well aware of!
And please expand on how my comments " .. undermine the credibility of forums such as this."
If so many "non Thais" and ".. everyone plus the moon.. " is so ".. well aware of!", why do the questions keep getting asked and completely honest answers seldom given.
Do I remember correctly that you are associated with the real estate / property / development business?
As far as the credibility of this forum, it's the farang developers insinuating their deception between the shards of half-truths who do that so well.
Beware of unprovoked comments!
Well, precisely who should a farang buy land from?STEVE G wrote:Thinking a bit further; don't buy property off anyone who owns a Harley. If they've paid two million baht for a motorcycle in Thailand, they are either a member of an international gang or making too much profit!
Beware of unprovoked comments!