Thailand News Today | New foreign land ownership law can be scrapped if Thais don’t agree

Thaiger VideoPublished: 18:00, 04 November 2022| Updated: 12:56, 27 December 2023

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New foreign land ownership law can be scrapped if Thais don’t agree

If Thai people aren’t happy with the newly proposed foreign land ownership law in
Thailand, the whole plan can be scrapped, said Minister of Interior General
Anupong Paochinda in Parliament yesterday.
“We can improve the regulation, such as by increasing the investment to 100
million baht. The plan can be scrapped if people have serious concerns. We won’t
see it as a loss of face.”
The interior ministry’s draft regulation proposes that foreigners can own a
house/up to one rai of land (1600 square meters) in Thailand, providing the
following requirements are met…
Foreigners who qualify to purchase land for residential purposes include wealthy
foreigners with at least US$1 million in assets, pensioners with a minimum annual
income of US$80,000, remote workers for well-established companies, and skilled
experts in targeted industries.
The land must be located in Bangkok, Pattaya, the municipality area of the provinces
nationwide, or other “residential zones.”
The land must not be located in military exclusion zones.
The owner must have a Long Term Resident (LTR) visa and invest at least 40
million baht in government bonds, real estate, infrastructure, or investment funds for at least three years.
The requirements are a tougher bill to foot when compared with the ministry’s
2002 foreign land ownership regulation approved by the Thaksin administration,
which proposed that basically anyone could purchase a landed property anywhere
in Thailand, so long as they invest 40 million baht into the country for at least five
years. Thailand News
The new draft has received criticism from the Pheu Thai Party, which accused the
Prayut’s administration of “selling off” the country to foreigners with the proposal.

Thailand to be aware of falling rocket parts

In response, General Anupong said the draft was to lure in foreign investment and
was not about “selling off” the country. However, if Thai people disagree with it,
the draft can be canceled, said Anupong.
The minister discussed the possibility of increasing the minimum investment from
40 to 100 million baht, and the investment period from three to ten years. If Thais
still aren’t happy, then cancel it, he said.
At present, foreigners are welcome to buy condos in Thailand so long as 51% of
Thai people own the units in the building.
11 provinces in Thailand warned to be aware of falling rocket parts
Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) issued a
warning 11 provinces in Thailand to be aware of falling rocket parts from the
sky on Saturday, November 5. Thailand News
A Thai researcher, and specialist in orbital mechanics from GISTDA, reported that
a Chinese rocket, Longmarch 5B-4Y, is expected to fall from the sky on Saturday.
The rocket is now in the earth’s atmosphere, about 177 kilometers from the
ground. The rocket weighs 21.6 tons, but experts don’t expect the full weight of the
rocket to fall on Thailand as most of it will disintegrate and burn in the
atmosphere. Thailand News
Sittporn revealed that the risk of the rocket falling in Thailand is 1.4%.
Experts said that the rocket is to travel over Thailand between 1.54 pm to 1.56 pm,
passing over Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Payao, Nan Nong Khai, Udon Thani,
Kalasin, Roi Et, Yasothorn, Amnat Charoen, and Ubon Ratchathani.
The agency added it would be able to predict the falling spots when the precisely
rocket is about 130 kilometers from the ground.

TAT wants US tourists to ‘Feel Thailand’

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday revealed a deal to bring more
tourists to the kingdom from the United States and boost the nation’s ailing
economy.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn announced the state-sponsored industry
organized an event this week, Feel Thailand with Delta Air Lines and Korean Air,
to take 50 US tour operators to popular tourist destinations in Thailand to promote
tourism.
“As the winter season begins in countries like the US, now is the perfect time to
rediscover the wonders of Thailand. And now that Thailand is fully open to
travelers, we want to showcase our country’s new and perennial offerings that
serve to create a truly unforgettable holiday.
“This trip also forms part of our plans to stimulate travel from across all 50 US
states to Thailand, ultimately helping us reach a tourism revenue target of 1.5
trillion baht in 2023 from the international market.” Thailand News
The nine-day trip, which ends on Wednesday, November 9, includes visits to
Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. The itinerary places a special
emphasis on providing travel agents with the chance to discover the nation’s latest
tourism products, learn about sustainable and responsible tourism practices, and
meet with Thai sellers.
TAT is linking up with Delta Air Lines and Korean Air to increase travel options
from the US to Thailand. The Delta-Korean Air trans-Pacific joint venture offers
connections to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket from 17 US destinations.
Visitors from the US and other nations will be encouraged that Thailand no longer
requires proof of vaccination or an ATK test result.

Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok to close for five days for APEC Summit

As world leaders gather in Bangkok later this month for the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) summit, a stretch of Ratchadaphisek Road will be closed for
public use for five days from November 14-18.
The road will be closed from Asoke Intersection to Ratchada-Khlong Toei
Intersection to make way for attendees of the APEC Summit, which will be held at
the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
Officers from Thong Lor Police Station said that any motorist who wishes to use
the road during this period can apply online for an ‘APEC 2022 Route Pass.’
The online form asks the applicant for the details of their vehicle as well as which
the building they will need to access.

The APEC Summit will be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, French
President Emmanuel Macron, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and quite
possibly Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Thai police are hunting down foreign fugitives in the kingdom before the event to
ensure the safety of the attendees and the public.
“Nuan” the cat chosen as Thailand’s mascot for APEC Summit
The Thai Foreign Ministry has chosen a cat, by the name of Nuan, as Thailand’s
publicity mascot for the APEC Summit, to be held in Bangkok on November 18
and 19th.
The ministry said, in its Instagram post, that hosting the APEC meetings this year
presents a significant opportunity for Thailand to play a constructive role in
formulating policies and directions for regional economic development and the
sharing of experiences and knowledge between APEC countries, which will help
improve economic development in Thailand and strengthen capacities in all areas
of both the public and private sectors.
All members of the Thai public are invited to be good hosts for all the guests to
make this important event a success, said the ministry. Thailand News