Change in implementation of law about foreign ownership

[jimnbkk]

I've met twice with Rob, and I, and my Thai friend have twice been given tours of properties managed by Rob's company. I want to say publicly that I was impressed both with the professionalism and integrity of everybody we met at that company. I would not hesitate to do business with them in the future.

The fact that I did not purchase a condo/villa has nothing to do with Rob's company, and everything to do with my own finances. I was always suspicious of the phony Thai company concept, but was willing to talk about a building purchase/land lease concept.

We must remember that Real Estate businesses are in business to sell, and if the Thai authorities were willing to accept these single-purpose-constructed "Companies", then of course they were going to use them.

Proxy Posting : Rob does not have easy access to the board.


In response to Thaiquila.

I am the person you are talking about in the current thread and I recall our meeting vividly.

In relating part of our conversation on this forum you have been accurate, but there are other statements you have made that are not correct or misleading and have the potential to be very damaging now that our company has been identified. Because I know your identity your remarks may be determined as libellous. From our meeting I felt you were a responsible person and I would like to think you have misinterpreted certain things I said in the brief time we were together.

To clear this up I invite you and any person you nominate as a witness, to meet me at our office to discuss and resolve this matter. There may be other issues you wish to raise, discuss, clarify and have me comment on. No matter what the outcome of our meeting I would welcome you reporting back to this forum.

However, I want to refute now one statement that you made and state publicly and categorically that this company has never offered or given any financial incentives to any persons holding City Hall, Chonburi Province or Government department positions for any favours.

Secondly, I am as concerned as anyone about the apparent crack down on foreign controlled Thai companies established to purchase land/house properties in Pattaya. I can not understand why this type of company is still permitted to buy condominiums but not land/house property. There are indications that the recent ruling is under review and may be resolved sooner than later.

However, as the situation is at present, my advice to a potential foreign buyer wanting to purchase via a Thai Company is to wait or purchase by other options.

Thirdly, prior to the current crisis 12 Pattaya real estate agents meet with an independent and influential Thai person as chairman in an attempt to establish an official and recognised real estate body. One of the main reasons is to make all agents accountable (I am told there are now 163 businessтАЩs calling themselves real estate agents in Pattaya) and also to resolve disputes and address complaints from buyers, sellers and agents. A sub committee has now been formed and is making excellent progress towards goals that will benefit our real estate industry.

I would also like to point out that there are 15 developments existing, under construction or in the planning in Pattaya with the name View Talay. Our company is only associated with two, View Talay Villas residential estate and View Talay Residence condominiums 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. I know it is very confusing. For this reason our company decided 18 months ago not to use the name View Talay for future projects.

Finally, I would like to say I am a paid employee of the company and not a commission salesman. If Thaiquila accepts my invitation to meet I will give him the names of 15 customers whom he may contact and will vouch for my integrity. To be frank our biggest problem has been delays in completion. During boom periods all developers are faced with this frustration both for them and especially their clients.

Thaiquila, you know where to contact me and I am waiting for your call.

Rob
Pattaya Properties Co., Ltd

Well you will be waiting a long time, because I never had any intention of personalizing this issue to you or your firm.
I never mentioned your firms name or your name, so I would really appreciate it if you back off from making legal threats.


My general point was that many real estate firms, in trying to hard sell customers, gave the impression that these company deals were safer than they really were. It is quite clear now they were never legal to begin with, yes? Some real estate companies made this clearer than others and divulged the truth, but justifiably said the law is not being enforced, transferring the responsibility of the risk to the customer by total honesty. I cannot know the usual or customary policy of your company about this issue from a very limited experience, OK?

I apologize if generalized comments I made got personalized to your firm (again, I never mentioned your firm or name).
I acknowledge you never explicity stated your company paid off Thai officials, OK? I did get certain other not so flattering impressions from our conversation, but I acknowledge they were my personal impressions, and in no way any reflection of absolute truth. This is a talking board, people are free here to give their personal impressions of businesses they deal with in Thailand. I decided not to do business with your firm; others can make their own choices based on their own personal impressions.

In summary, no interest in talking to you any further. What purpose would that serve anyway, except to put more fuel into this drama? I am not in the market for real estate, so the purpose would be for you to tell me how great your company is so I can post that. I am just one person's opinion, if you want to say how great your company is, get on this board and tell us about it, I see you have your fans already here, so again, what would be the point of it?

Best wishes to everyone in resolving the current real estate ownership snafu in Thailand.
Ciao