Bangkok lawyer imperative in house purchase?

[hhfarang]

I met a lawyer last night that works for a law firm that has offices in Hua Hin and Bangkok. She is British and they also have an American lawyer on staff here (among others). I had a long conversation with her and she seemed to be very good and knowledgeable on Thai laws including property laws. The firm is called Chavalit, Finch, & Partners Ltd.

I have her business card so if you want to contact her p.m. me. I've done no business with them so cannot personally recommend the firm, but as I said, I spent a long time talking with her and she seemed very knowledgeable.

[loverboy44]

I would never recommend any lawyer myself. Go to your embassy and ask for one. They have a list.
One recommendation though is not to take a lawyer from the town where you're going to buy as they are involved in the local property business.

[buksida]

One recommendation though is not to take a lawyer from the town where you're going to buy as they are involved in the local property business.

In towns like this one the lawyers are entrenched with the land office also so any business makes both of them a tidy packet and leaves the client smarting.

[Super Joe]

One recommendation though is not to take a lawyer from the town where you're going to buy as they are involved in the local property business.

Yes and no in my experience, one that we give all our work to has persuaded us to change clauses that we didn't want to, in favour of their one-time clients. And this would be about 'influencable' lawyers, if the Bangkok one is of the same ilk, then they could be influenced if someone was determined for some reason.

Just ask the seller if he can recommend a lawyer, then avoid them

In towns like this one the lawyers are entrenched with the land office also so any business makes both of them a tidy packet and leaves the client smarting.

The only real charges outside government taxes I've ever seen is the 10k for a usufruct, which has been this amount whether a lawyer is involved or not.
Local lawyers develop working relationships with the officials, which can often result in ways around an issue. No reason a Bangkok lawyer couldn't do the same I guess, although I doubt local officials would feel quite as at ease with them.



I'm not suggesting at all a local lawyer is a better option, just giving the other side of the coin so to speak. Generally a Bangkok lawyer would cost more, even if they were half the cost for producing agreements because of the 3-5 visits, not that cost should be the overriding factor.

I guess if you get a competent one with integrity intact then that would be the right choice, whether Thai, Farang, HH, Bangkok or from outer-space (as some of them admirably portrait).

SJ

[Whaler]

I used an ex UK solicitor who lives in HH but works part time for a BK law firm, must be the same one hhfarang noted above

Best of both worlds IMO