The Grumpy Expat Forum

[saf]

According to a report in The Nation, 'by the end of this month, all illegally-acquired land ownership will be revoked and reclaimed by the state under a new government policy initiated by Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam'.

This seems to be rather an ambitious timetable for what could be a huge operation. Probably, illegal transfer goes hand in hand with the older and weak types of land deed where much has been at the whim and favour of well rewarded village head men. If the government does take this action, depending on how deep they dig, many people could lose homes and business premised as well as the land on which they stand. One assumes that the government action will apply equally, without recognition of a land possessor's wealth or status.

The Nation's description of what the government plans lacks detail and raises many questions. For one thing, there has been no definition of 'legal' in this context.What about non-chanoot land that changed hands to settle debts? Many impoverished families would very much welcome the return of land taken to settle a debt smaller than its value.

The reference to illegality may be about some breach of land transfer regulations rather than land stolen from a previous owner. If that is so, government decisions might be difficult to make and more difficult to challenge.

What are the feelings of the many wealthy people who bought Por Bor 5 land in Wang Nam Keow, Kow Thai and Pak Chong? They bought land that had no more than a piece of paper from the village head man. One term of PB5 is that the land is for agricultural purposes and must not be developed. Much of this land has already been turned to resorts and private housing complexes. Might the government action include land acquired for illegal purposes?

Or is the whole merely words and vague intentions aimed at silencing the dissenters? I hope not because I feel the time has past in Thailand where you could fool all of the people all of the time.

Here's The Nation's report:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/20 ... 21643.html

[stop the bus]

I have talked to my wife about this one quite a bit lately, as she wants to buy some illegal land. The price is quite cheap and she seems to think at some time in the future it will change to a legal plot with the slight price of a bribe to an government official.

[saf]

I have talked to my wife about this one quite a bit lately, as she wants to buy some illegal land. The price is quite cheap and she seems to think at some time in the future it will change to a legal plot with the slight price of a bribe to an government official.

I can sell her some illegal land. Where would she like it to be?

[mcmurphy]

I have talked to my wife about this one quite a bit lately, as she wants to buy some illegal land. The price is quite cheap and she seems to think at some time in the future it will change to a legal plot with the slight price of a bribe to an government official.

When illegally acquired land hasn't been purchased for value and in Good Faith the transfer can be cancelled quite easily. So better buy it over-priced.

[stop the bus]

I think there are some good deals on beachfront land in Korat right now.

[saf]

Bangkok Post reports that the disputed plot of land in Kao Yai has been cleared of buildings and handed over to the government. What will happen now to the many similar plots and the businesses built on them?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... t-to-state