Dear Hillary
I have been living in Pattaya for six months now and have decided it is really the place I want to retire. I have a wonderful relationship with the most perfect Thai girl, Noi, although we are just living together and are not married. She is not as keen as I am to get married and not because of our twenty years age difference, either. She thinks she will lose all property rights once she is legally married to a foreigner. My problem is that I like apartment living and want to buy a bigger condo with better beach views, in my name. Noi likes living with me in my rented condo and has no problem with heights, it’s just that she is putting a lot of pressure on me to buy a house instead and put it in her name. Hillary, can you tell me, is it possible for me to get the house in my name too?
Peter
Dear Peter,
In a word – No! You have to ask yourself serious questions on why girlfriend Noi is so fixated on property. Believe me, there are many beautiful Thai women who may display more loving and less avaricious tendencies, never mind the age difference. The current legal situation about Thai property titles is this, a foreigner (read non-Thai or farang) may own a condo in their own name. They may not own a house or land solely or partly in their own name. The only way farangs may “own” a house is to form a Thai company with the aid of a trusted English speaking lawyer and Thai nominees and then that company owns the title to the house. Even then, there are some legal problems. As in all dealings, Caveat Emptor, Buyer Beware. Be very aware!
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