some bad news for Farang house owners

[ThaiHome]

Has worked for us several times over the past 8 years or so. Last time was in 2006.

TH

 

[Gadfly]

No witch-hunt, says Lands Department

 

Now, why did they feel compelled to say there was "no witch hunt"? Me thinks the lady does protest too much.

 

I guess if they say they haven't changed the rules, that ends the discussion, right? And of course there is no chance of them changing the rules in the future.

 

There are two very simple questions here, which you have gone to extraordinairy lengths to avoid answering. Those questions: First, where is this law on illegal nominees? Second, how does Thai law define a nominee?

 

Go back through this thread, and you simply won't see an answer to these two questions. You will see a lot of diversion and spin, but you won't see an answer to these two basic questions.

 

But you will see the Director General of the Land Department saying that if a foreigner provided funding for a Thai to buy land it is unlawful and the transaction will be revoked, your re-translation of what he said, and damage control spin by the Land Department. What does that really tell us?

 

Thailand has a schizophrenic attitude towards foreign investment. It sure wants the money. But the authorities also want the ability to arbitrarily take back the property (or investment) when the economic climate changes.

 

Why else claim would the Land Department claim it has the authority to revoke land transactions on the basis of a law against illegal nominees that no one can identify? And then have a second interview where they say they really didn't mean that when they said it.

 

Moreover, when you read the last part of the article, its almost as though he had his fingers crossed back behind his back he tried to clarify matters. For example: "For anyone involved in land ownership on behalf of foreigners, what they should be sure of is concern for the nation, ethics and morality in applying the law to make sure they are good Thai citizens," he said.

 

Can anyone make any sense out of that? It's as clear as mud. In other words, it's a hedge.

 

The really sad part is that some foreigners not only buy this nonsense, but defend it.