Dual Nationality Propert Ownership Query

If the Thai lady retains her Thai national i.d.-card and thabian baan (house registration) in her name, it is fine. My wife has US citizenship and retains her Thai i.d. with her married name on it and also her house registration with her married name on it. Mai phen rai.....

Your friend is probably facing a divorce in the UK court system soon. Thai wife will try and obtain half of UK assets PLUS alimony payments for many many years. If your friend also adopted any children of the Thai wife she will also be asking for child support payments in UK. Also since she now has UK passport, she will want to reside in UK to look for the next "husband/victim" (probably a younger UK guy).

Your friend needs to get his UK assets out of his name ASAP. Some ideas would be to put them into a revocable trust held offshore, put some of them in trusts for any of his children living in UK, or form an offshore corporation with mother, children holding controlling interest in the stock. He needs to seek professional guidance based on UK tax and divorce laws. MOST IMPORTANT -- He needs to do these asset transfers BEFORE the Thai wife files for divorce in UK. If he waits until after she has filed, the court will now honor the asset transfers and will void them.

Remember there are Three things you should never try and move between countries - Cars, Guns and Women.

Sorry, you must have been burned by someone in the past....Not all mixed-marriages are a result of gold-diggers catching their farang prey. We have thirty-six years together, two sons together and property in both the USA and Thailand. We are both now retired early and are living just fine. No off-shore accounts are needed. Go with your heart and you will be fine, just do not think with your appendages.....

Doesn't sound good this transfert of assets out of the husband reach yep...

So, if you buy a house in Thailand, you better put it in your name and not your wife yes ? And you will need a lease of the land for it yes ? 30 years + another 30 years the maximum ? For a flat, it is the same or you can buy a flat at your name "forever" as a farlang in Thailand ?

If you marry a thai in Thailand under thai law, will the law of your country take over in case of an eventual divorce if you live back in your country ? Perhaps I am a bit naive, but I do think that my wife should have my financial support only if she is my wife... I don't feel like "sponsoring" an ex-wife ^^...

best way to avoid divorce, is don't marry. a wife can cancel a lease one year after divorce, so don't agree to divorce until financial matters are resolved, if married, and land/house involved. most countries don't have jurisdiction in other countries. with the exception of child support.

if not married, a userfuct is the best to have, not a lease, same if married. 2 types, one is for use, the other is for everything, use/modify/build/wreck. if possible, have a lease to a 3rd party you trust, a judge will not cancel anything if it effects a 3rd party. NEVER build on family land or live near family of gf/wife, when it hits the fan, your security may be at risk. would you want to live there anyway, with her family around, if you end up buying her out. though you could always sell, if ex family doesn't wreck the place or derail every prospective buyer.........simply say there are ghost in the house, and no thai would buy it. too simple. RENT RENT RENT, unless your relationships all last more than 10 yrs, then you will get some use and return on investment, or you have disposable cash reserve, in which case, more advise can be given for beers, preferably at irish clock.

from someone who has been there, done that, too many times, and lucked out.

good luck to all those who may need it.