Reader submission: Thailand where is that? (part 5)
Before I went to Thailand again in October 2004, I set a number of goals for myself. Of course I had already seen, heard and experienced enough during my previous holiday.
- I didn't want a relationship with a woman yet, first to make sure I would stay here;
- I also didn't want to buy a wife, no monthly payment;
- I saw Thailand as a way station to travel in Asia;
- I also didn't want to live in an apartment anymore, too closed for me.
It was with that goal that I arrived in Thailand. Visited many, many law firms there to get all the information and make it my own. Draw conclusions from the many answers, websites visited and so on. Also returned to the Netherlands many times in the meantime, usually for a few days to take care of the business interests of others.
Towards the end of my visa period I made the decision to move to Thailand permanently. Before I flew back to the Netherlands, I founded a Thai company in order to be able to obtain an annual visa, non-immigrant B.
When I arrived in the Netherlands I did what I had to do for others. I drove to Russia with the camper and canceled the option I had on a hotel on the Black Sea. The reason I chose Thailand over Russia was mainly the language. In Russia you have to communicate in German with the elderly or in English with the young, I didn't belong in either target group. Now in retrospect, I have never regretted it.
From Russia back to the Netherlands, arranged a non-immigrant B visa through the Thai consulate in Amsterdam. I didn't want to go back to Support in The Hague. Everything went smoothly and even when my visa expired, for example, I could send my passport from Cambodia to make a new visa and the consulate would return it in the enclosed envelope.
When I visited various websites of real estate agents in Pattaya and I saw a house that I liked. Contacted the broker, viewing scheduled the day after arrival in Thailand. Viewed the house on the planned day, negotiated a bit and everything was on paper in the afternoon. Then to my law firm who had also arranged the company. The house had to be in the name of the company. After two weeks I lived in the newly acquired house. Now I could start planning to renovate it according to my insight. That does cause some obstacles if you are alone, then the constructive English language is missing from the construction contractors. So first a brush of paint and just wait and see.
Who knows, maybe I don't like it there at all. Or that I will meet someone who understands what I want, I never take any chances, so to speak.
However, I was satisfied with the location and the tranquility that the house gave, no racing cars in front of the door, no noise nuisance. Nice to relax. Now to explore Thailand. Bought a car, used that is, I am not a Thai who must have everything new and I do not have any superstitions. A VW Passat. Now that was the first bad choice I made. I thought German reliability, that is also true, but they charge even more for repairs than in Germany itself, I noticed later.
Anyway, I learn quickly and will look for solutions for that again. In the meantime I got to know other Dutch people. It's also good that you stay socially engaged. No one can do everything alone, you need each other.
To be continued….
Submitted by Roel
“Everything went smoothly and even when my visa expired, for example, I could send my passport from Cambodia to make a new visa and the consulate would return it in the enclosed envelope”
Not really allowed, a good and attentive official at the Thai border will see that too.
There is no exit stamp and no entry stamp from Cambodia before and after the Thai visa has been issued.
Ten years ago this happened a lot in Thailand, there were even agencies that arranged this for you.
It was then also observed more strictly.
And as far as I know it's illegal.
Robert
You just get an exit stamp and visa for Cambodia and you can stay there for 1 month or longer. I never did that, especially because I went to the Netherlands twice a year, so I could easily do that in the Netherlands.
I did that too, sent passport with money for fish by registered mail with the necessary documents and return envelope. Got my passport back within 1 week through the Thai consulate in Amsterdam. Rules have become stricter now, but then it was still possible and I did it that way for 5 to 6 years. Then retired visa here at Immigration
And now living in Thailand without a Thai partner / wife, it is not the usual story that I know and have done myself. I'm even more curious about the sequel...
Founding a company for the purchase of private real estate is illegal. If caught, the deed of sale and chanote will be declared invalid and you will not only lose your money, but also your home.
A premium of 10% on the auction price is paid by the head office land department
http://property.thaivisa.com/can-foreigners-property-thailand/
Setting up a company is legal, also foreigner with 49% of the shares.
In it you have 22 brance options to do something, including rental.
So I myself rent a house that is in the company and is also reported to the Business Department and to the Thai tax authorities through annual report, so the company generates income.
Even an advertisement in the government gazette every year is part of this to show that the company is active.
A requirement is that you know the shareholders and before a lease is made, a meeting must take place between shareholders and must be recorded in writing, by agreement, the lease can take effect after 10 days. And so it goes with all changes in a company.
I understand what you mean and what is described on Thaivisa, but these are often silent companies where annual reports are often not made, there is no rental agreement, no meetings take place and the foreigner does not even know the shareholders, or has expired ID cards from the Thai shareholders. All that makes a company unbelievable. They also often do not comply with the law to place an advertisement in the government gazette every year.
I know exactly how it works, as I also had a large company in Turkey on identical terms, only there the foreigner could own 95% of the shares. And that's how it works with all BVs, shareholders' meeting that is written or even published in newspapers, that is also a legal obligation for a BV that does not know its shareholders, because there are shares in circulation for free sale.
Unfortunately, in Thailand there are too many bad lawyers who throw their hats at it and only see the money.
For example, we have had several clients who have paid for annual reports every year, but lawyers have never created and submitted them, yes, that is asking for trouble. My girlfriend is connected to the Business Department online and can see all documentation if she has the company registration number or if everything went correctly. For example, we had a Dutchman, who paid a lawyer for 8 years but never registered, we had to make and register all 8 reports via Bangkok, via Chonburi was too dangerous because they could then refuse and conduct an investigation with all its consequences.
I also know a condominium where 62% of the apartments are registered to a foreigner, which is normally not possible, normally a maximum of 49%. But something is passed under the table at the land office and is arranged. The foreigner does not understand if the government finds out, the last 13% can hand over their apartment to the Thai state. So lawyers who ask for extra money do that too.
So if you live well in what is and what is not possible and you stick to the law, you will never have any problems.
Just out of curiosity Roel. What are or were you specialized in as a lawyer? And one more question: did you have to write a lot in your position? Because there seem to be many more episodes, this may be interesting for the Thailandblog readers.