How much would you pay?

[Pom]

So I married a Thai in 2002 from a village 20kms from Roi-et.
We both live in the UK as does one of her Aunties.
In 2009 her mother came over to the UK and we ended up funding a house build for her at a very reasonable cost of £6.5k when she returned. Building it on one of the paddy fields left to her by her father.
Her auntie visited in 2010 and later asked why she had built the bungalow on her land.

To cut a long story short, after the dad died (my wife's grandad) in 1997, one of the other sisters went and got a loan from the bank for a car using the land / houses left to the sisters as security. When this loan matured 10 years later the sister had defaulted and to stop the repossession the Auntie in the UK paid around £9k which resulted in 3 or 4 properties and some paddy fields all going into her name. Again I didn't know this until later.

I actually treated it as abit of a joke and wondered why things are so chaotic in Thai lifestyle.

Last night the wif wanted to speak to me and said her Auntie now wanted paying for the land, wanting £2k. The wife said all the paperwork would then be in her name etc and this would be a good thing as it was her home.

Trying to get a straight answer out of any of them is a waste of time. I have no idea what was actually paid for the land she built on, but it was a paddy field originally. I cannot get any breakdown what the bank loaned on it and to be honest don't believe a word they tell me.

I totally get her auntie wanting something for it even though the wife or I had nothing to do with it. The other sister has no money.

I would have attached some photos but not sure how to, if I could you would see it isn't huge but I have no idea of the actual size.

Also when the auntie purchased back she was getting 70Baht to the pound.

Is £2k reasonable as this would stop me getting earache or am I being ripped off?

Your thoughts and advic would be greatly appreciated.

[Norton]

Is £2k reasonable as this would stop me getting earache or am I being ripped off

92k baht.

Without knowing size and type of nor sor (land title) impossible to answer. Paddie land in Roiet area can be had for 90k baht/ rai (1600 sq meters) but usually in the middle of nowhere. No road or electricity.

[mykthemin]

just pay it for a quiet life, seems cheap enough

[jabir]

From what you say it's a try on but open to negotiation; all depends on their desperation with a tenuous claim vs your earache.

If they want £2k they may settle for 1, especially if they know you are prepared to up the ante with a good lawyer leaving them a potential chunk in hock when they lose.

[baldrick]

pay the 2k
tell the wife to get a part time job

[nidhogg]

Family matters in Thailand can be bloody entangled, especially when there is a mix of money and land. Throw in different degrees of ownership and sometimes less than clear communications and it all becomes a nightmare to try and understand it all.

So, I suppose it comes down to a simple question: Do you trust your wife?

By this I suppose I mean has she steered you wrong in the past, does she look on things as family (your family) assets. Would she put her (Thai) family over your (by that I mean you/her plus any others) family.

If you trust her and can afford it, I would probably pay it.

The plus side is this then goes away- digging your heels in is going to have this as a long drawn out affair that you will be hearing about for some time to come. Maybe a small price to pay.

(as a side note, I do like baldricks idea - front her the money - and get her to take a small part time job to pay back if your family circumstances allow)

[navynine]

Trust the wife, seems like small change for a investment

[Luigi]

The wife said all the paperwork would then be in her name

If you feel like giving them 2k, do.

If you don't, don't.


But don't believe anything you are told by anybody, in any way, shape or form.

[Conche]

But don't believe anything you are told by anybody, in any way, shape or form.

Good advice ,, easy to remember ,,, Thai rhymes with lie

[VocalNeal]

^ And the Singaporeans have a saying along the lines of "Don't Thai to me"

[stroller]

tell the wife to get a part time job

... and pay Auntie in installments from the earnings.

[Cold Pizza]

Trying to get a straight answer out of any of them is a waste of time.....to be honest don't believe a word they tell me.

Very common in LOS.

[Pragmatic]

First thing to find out is 'who's name is on the land paper'. Whoever name is on there then that is the owner of the land. Simple innit?

[buriramboy]

Seems fair enough to me, my wife had an uncle who had borrowed money using all family land to bribe everyone to vote for him to become kamnan which was a lifelong job till Thaksin changed the rules and he got voted out before he had been able to 'recoup' his money. Long story short bank were going to reposses the land, I paid the bank think was about 250,000 baht if memory serves back in 2004 on the condition all land got put in daughters name. Daughter now has 36 rai of land in her name, chanote here in UK.

[thaimeme]

Is £2k reasonable as this would stop me getting earache or am I being ripped off

92k baht.

Without knowing size and type of nor sor (land title) impossible to answer. Paddie land in Roiet area can be had for 90k baht/ rai (1600 sq meters) but usually in the middle of nowhere. No road or electricity.

Though, you and I both know that B90K per rai parcels are a rarity these days - even for common Isaan paddy property. Measured prices can differ from region to region, yet remain somewhat homogenous.

I do know the trend on the plateau has not budged much over the last decade, less the more fertile or desirable locales throughout the country - be it agricultural, commercial, or home use.

Recall a Surin or Kalasin paddy parcel asking price in the neighborhood of B200K - B300K [and those were 2006/2010 prices].

We're in the process of unloading a 3 rai piece of property in non-descript Taphan Hin - asking just short of 1 mil......[we already secure two parcels - 4 and 5 rai, respectively].

[Pragmatic]

We're in the process of unloading a 3 rai piece of property in non-descript Taphan Hin - asking just short of 1 mil......[we already secure two parcels - 4 and 5 rai, respectively].

Excuse me for changing the subject but how long will it take for someone to get a return on land at those prices? Never in their lifetime would be my answer.

[Norton]

you and I both know that B90K per rai parcels are a rarity these days - even for common Isaan paddy property

Yes they are rare. All depends on need for owner to sell. Take 90k or face the boys on the black motorsi.

[thaimeme]

We're in the process of unloading a 3 rai piece of property in non-descript Taphan Hin - asking just short of 1 mil......[we already secure two parcels - 4 and 5 rai, respectively].

Excuse me for changing the subject but how long will it take for someone to get a return on land at those prices? Never in their lifetime would be my answer.

Less one forgets, property/land is approached differently here [as you might know - or not].....usually looked upon as a practical conduit or simply a home to have forever....passing it on to generations, etc.

Not the investing or speculative "return" ideals that one will find within a Farang mindset.

Frankly, we don't expect any firm offers any time soon - unless the perspective buyer has commercial connections and pursues in this manner.

[Luigi]

you and I both know that B90K per rai parcels are a rarity these days - even for common Isaan paddy property

Yes they are rare. All depends on need for owner to sell. Take 90k or face the boys on the black motorsi.

¿Plata o Plomo?

[Pragmatic]

Frankly, we don't expect any firm offers any time soon - unless the perspective buyer has commercial connections and pursues in this manner.

I agree but for a simple farmer there's no way those prices are doable.
A woman selling land near me raises the price of her land every year to compensate herself for her debts increasing. Seems to be the norm for round here.

[Pom]

Thanks for your responses, I do trust the wife just not the family but I do like them. Probably shouldn't have told her that during the argument.
I know £2k in the great scheme of things is nothing but I find it hard to believe the bank would have loaned that amount on a paddy field.
The wife is contacting her mum to find out the size, what it's worth now and how much her sister has said she paid the bank to get it back.
The auntie said £2k or 100000baht which I reckon the baht figure was what she may have paid when it was 70baht to the £ which equates to around £1430.
The wife already works full time so probably could mange a part time job if she really wants it in her name that bad

[Pragmatic]

I find it hard to believe the bank would have loaned that amount on a paddy field.

The bank would not have loaned money, full stop, to someone who wasn't named on the land papers. So therefore, who's name is actually on the paper? Whoever it is is the rightful owner.

[Luigi]

I find it hard to believe the bank would have loaned that amount on a paddy field.

The bank would not have loaned money, full stop, to someone who wasn't named on the land papers. So therefore, who's name is actually on the paper? Whoever it is is the rightful owner.

Doesn't matter, he (and possibly his wife) is never going to be told the truth.

Either he donates the money or he doesn't, forget about all the BS stories behind it.

[crackerjack101]

10 years ago she and I did a deal. It was me and her. End of story. I/we are not financing anybody else for any reason. We have have stuck to that and it seems to work.

Not to say we don't help out occasionally with the grand kids, but on our/my terms.

And the family accepts it totally.

Harsh, but fair I reckon.

[stroller]

I find it hard to believe the bank would have loaned that amount on a paddy field.

The bank would not have loaned money, full stop, to someone who wasn't named on the land papers. So therefore, who's name is actually on the paper? Whoever it is is the rightful owner.

Mabe auntie guaranteed & paid back for the owner, another relative.
Or mabe they never bothered to change the title after the owner (grandad?) died - don't you know how it works around here?