Buying Property in Thailand

[AmericanSoldier 0]

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Me and my wife who is a Thai citizen are considering making a purchase of a home in Thailand. Something nice with a fenced yard for privacy/security. We are planning on moving there after my retirement from the United States Army.

Does anyone have any helpful advice as to how the whole process works there in Thailand or for that matter a good real estate agent? (Bangkok Area). Also a decent insurance company in Bangkok for our purchase?

Does anyone know if VA Loans offered by the U.S. Government are able to be used in other countries overseas? Just thought I would through that out there just in case any prior/active duty military are reading this. My wife's aunt has an established business there so she said she would co-sign for a loan for us if we had any problems. We will have a sizeable down payment to put down on a house as well.

If we bought a home there it would be in my wife's name as she is Thai or am I allowed to purchase real estate there in my name as a foreigner?

How hard is it an American to live in Thailand if he is married to a Thai Citizen ie getting a Visa?

Thanks for your help. This is my first home purchase so I am trying to get advice and do my homework well before we start making commitement of purchasing a home outside the United States.

Adam

[Yodrak 7]

Adam,

In general a non-Thai can own a house but they cannot own the property it sits on. They can get a long-term renewable lease

on the property. The Thai woman can buy property but she must demonstrate that she used her own money and as her husband you must sign a statement to the effect that she did not use your money and you have no interest in the property.

I recommend that you talk with a knowledgable attorney. I recommend Bill White, a US immigration attorney living in Bangkok who also knows Thai real estate law. He practices with a group of Thai lawyers.

White & White Ltd.

U.S. Immigration Consultancy

New ITF Tower, 17th Floor, #3

140/36 Silom Road, Bangrak

Bangkok 10500, Thailand

Telephone 66 (0) 2231-6466

wfwlaw@aol.com

Yodrak

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Me and my wife who is a Thai citizen are considering making a purchase of a home in Thailand. Something nice with a fenced yard for privacy/security. We are planning on moving there after my retirement from the United States Army.

Does anyone have any helpful advice as to how the whole process works there in Thailand or for that matter a good real estate agent? (Bangkok Area). Also a decent insurance company in Bangkok for our purchase?

Does anyone know if VA Loans offered by the U.S. Government are able to be used in other countries overseas? Just thought I would through that out there just in case any prior/active duty military are reading this. My wife's aunt has an established business there so she said she would co-sign for a loan for us if we had any problems. We will have a sizeable down payment to put down on a house as well.

If we bought a home there it would be in my wife's name as she is Thai or am I allowed to purchase real estate there in my name as a foreigner?

How hard is it an American to live in Thailand if he is married to a Thai Citizen ie getting a Visa?

Thanks for your help. This is my first home purchase so I am trying to get advice and do my homework well before we start making commitement of purchasing a home outside the United States.

Adam

Edited May 27, 2007 by Yodrak

[Ngoc-Anh 1]

can you buy a house at all since you are not living in Thailand?

I mean of course you can buy it but legally is it possible to put the house in your name then?

I know for Vietnam that you cannot buy a house in your name in Vietnam when you are not living there!

And to put your property in someone elses name is always tricky in order to get your property back later on.

Good luck!!

[Portlander 0]

From what I understand, there are more than a few people who are willing to sellyou land, and tell you many ways that you can get sneak around the law about foreigners not owning land. BUT

These are technically illegal. It basically has to be in your wife's name, You will have likely have no say over it if things turn bad. You cannot own the land, but you can own the house. However, there are mo0re than a few stories about people building a house and then getting kicked out by various entirely legal means, so the lease itself doesn't really stand up. And there are not very many groups in Thailand (courts or otherwise) that will side with a farang over a Thai.

So just know that its not really safe. You might consider a condo or something.... There are lots of threads about this on thaivisa.com in the Koh Samui forum.