Tales of land grab

[DrAndy]

My wife went to the local land office yesterday to transfer a small piece of her land to a friend

she took all her paperwork, and all the required copies, as did her friend

the office told her she could not transfer the land without my signature

Now I declared that I had no interest in that land years ago when she bought it, but I still need to sign that she could transfer her land

In addition, the husband of her friend would also need to sign that he had no interest in the land


What puzzles me is all those stories about poor guys being ripped off by their wives and thrown out of their houses, as if Thailand was a terrible place to live and they had no power over their joint assets

If the wives cannot do anything without their husbands signature, how can that happen? Of course, as in any country, if there is a divorce then the joint property becomes an issue

so people pop up in forums mouthing off the old adage "don't invest in Thailand more than you can afford to lose"

reasonable, but not just in Thailand

[Mozzbie47]

Agree.

[TizMe]

the office told her she could not transfer the land without my signature

I wonder how often that rule is enforced, or even if the rule really exists, or if this particular officer is just making up the rules as he/she is going along.

Just seems odd to me that they would require your signature if you have already declared that you have no interest in the land.

[ltnt]

Yup! Had the same thing happen on a purchase of land. She couldn't do it without my permission. Cannot sell without my permission as well.

If she passes away before you, you get the property, but its an involved process.

[Carrabow]

I am occasionally forced down to the Land Office to sign documents. They look official, but Lord knows what I am signing. What are those additional entries on the back pages of the house book?

[Norton]

What puzzles me is all those stories about poor guys being ripped off by their wives and thrown out of their houses, as if Thailand was a terrible place to live and they had no power over their joint assets

Can only comment on people I know have been ripped off by their "wives".
Some are folks who have never been legally married and the rest are those who are, but either ignorant of Thai law or can't be bothered to pursue through appropriate legal process.

so people pop up in forums mouthing off the old adage "don't invest in Thailand more than you can afford to lose" reasonable, but not just in Thailand

Yep. Again if "investing" in Thailand or any country, be it business or otherwise, make sure proper contracts are in place. If not then a rip off to follow.

I have had 3 cases in business where conflict has arisen. I won all three in Thai court.

[Airportwo]

Yup! Had the same thing happen on a purchase of land. She couldn't do it without my permission. Cannot sell without my permission as well.

If she passes away before you, you get the property, but its an involved process.

I had the same thing happen as well in Khon Kaen, surprised me - on two occasions!

[Spin]

the office told her she could not transfer the land without my signature

In my experience the staff at government offices are just looking for some kind of situation to use an an excuse to get bribe money.

It would not surprise me in the slightest if in your case they were asking for your signature in the hope that you were not around / agreeable to sign. Then they have you over a barrel, but surprise surprise, they can make your problem go away for a few thousand baht.

[AntRobertson]

I had a similar experience... The wife's folks had purchased a condo in BKK that was in hers and her sisters name. After we were married the wife decided to transfer her ownership share to the sister-in-law.

That meant I had to go all the fecking way to BKK to co-sign and state that I was allowing my wife to transfer something, that I'd never owned or had any interest in, to her own sister.

Annoying and a waste of time. I didn't really mind too much though... My sister-in-law's hot.

[ltnt]

^Please post, "Its a Man's world," by James Brown.

[nedwalk]

My sister-in-law's hot.

pictures...

[Chairman Mao]

Perhaps an envelope with 20k cash in it removes such a procedure.

[Rural Surin]

Yup! Had the same thing happen on a purchase of land. She couldn't do it without my permission. Cannot sell without my permission as well.

If she passes away before you, you get the property, but its an involved process.

Involved process, indeed.

[Looper]

My sister-in-law's hot.

pictures...

Yes, we want a SIL's ass competition too this year.

And a MIL's ass competition for the real hardore fetishists.

[Rural Surin]

My sister-in-law's hot.

pictures...

Yes, we want a SIL's ass competition too this year.

And a MIL's ass competition for the real hardore fetishists.

Mine [SIL, that is] would win hands down....

[draco888]

I had a similar experience... The wife's folks had purchased a condo in BKK that was in hers and her sisters name. After we were married the wife decided to transfer her ownership share to the sister-in-law.

That meant I had to go all the fecking way to BKK to co-sign and state that I was allowing my wife to transfer something, that I'd never owned or had any interest in, to her own sister.

Annoying and a waste of time. I didn't really mind too much though... My sister-in-law's hot.

What is the point of law on this? After marriage the assets become jointly owned?

[pickel]

If the wives cannot do anything without their husbands signature, how can that happen?

Simple, they borrow money from loan sharks, much harder to deal with than the land office.

[DrAndy]

Just seems odd to me that they would require your signature if you have already declared that you have no interest in the land.

both partners need to sign, apparently nothing to do with the land itself, merely one partner cannot do anything without the permission of the other

[DrAndy]

In my experience the staff at government offices are just looking for some kind of situation to use an an excuse to get bribe money. It would not surprise me in the slightest if in your case they were asking for your signature in the hope that you were not around / agreeable to sign. Then they have you over a barrel, but surprise surprise, they can make your problem go away for a few thousand baht.

no, I wasn't there; the two women were told to come back with their respective partners, nothing to do with bribes, it is the law

[DrAndy]

Yes, we want a SIL's ass competition too this year. And a MIL's ass competition for the real hardore fetishists.

can my niece take part, or at least her bum?

[DrAndy]

What is the point of law on this? After marriage the assets become jointly owned?

well, a farang cannot own land so it is probably the law stating that one side cannot do much without the other agreeing

[DrAndy]

Can only comment on people I know have been ripped off by their "wives". Some are folks who have never been legally married and the rest are those who are, but either ignorant of Thai law or can't be bothered to pursue through appropriate legal process.

That is the point; if they do not get legally married, the guy has no rights

as for ignorance, up to them. then there is no point bleating about being "ripped off" by some hustling Thai woman

[draco888]

What is the point of law on this? After marriage the assets become jointly owned?

well, a farang cannot own land so it is probably the law stating that one side cannot do much without the other agreeing

yes i know about the land restriction but it seems like marriage creates some kind of deemed interest in the land. Never heard of a similar requirement (needing spouses signature) when acquiring land/property.

[DrAndy]

Never heard of a similar requirement (needing spouses signature) when acquiring land/property.

a farang spouse always has to sign that they have no interest in the land and it was not their money involved

[Grower]

both partners need to sign, apparently nothing to do with the land itself, merely one partner cannot do anything without the permission of the other

Actually, I know a farang who has had two houses sold out from under him by his wife. I don't think he knows about the second one (he doesn't live here yet, just visits). His wife is addicted to gambling...