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[taxexile]

HUA HIN
Problems in paradise

In recent years, many tourists have opted to buy a home in Hua Hin. But some have fallen victim to scam artists. A popular hangout for the disgruntled foreign retirees of Hua Hin is the small office of Tuck Dechapanya, owner of the Hua Hin Hotline newspaper and founder of the Hua Hin Foreign Service Link Centre.

Published on March 7, 2008





Tuck, a spry 79-year-old, has become a beacon of hope for foreigners who have been defrauded by dubious developers, most of whom are foreign.



The most popular scam is for developers to secure payments from a buyer and then fail to stick to building timetables, leaving properties unfinished.



Unfamiliar with Thai laws, and wary of drawn-out court cases, many have approached Tuck for informal advice in the hopes he will publish their plight and attract the attention of Hua Hin authorities.



Things are slowly being done. On February 20, a provincial court denied bail for Canadian Mario Karmine Aiello, developer of the Golf Village estate, and forced him to swear he would complete obligations to 13 foreign complainants, who charged him with failing to fulfill his contract, leaving their properties without roads, utilities and registration papers.



Aiello was released on bail five days later. His case is just one of many pending.

"We've been waiting for two years and still our house isn't finished," said a retired army officer, who sold his house in Germany to invest in a Bt6 million home at Orchid Villas, built by Asia Property, run by Briton David Allan McDonald.



Broken dreams



Donald Whiting and his wife Dolly sold their home in Hawaii to invest in a Bt13.6-million villa, with guest-house, tennis court and pool.



The American couple claim Greek George Mastronikolis, a building contractor who also runs the Hua Hin Today newspaper, took their money and left them with an unfinished, substandard concrete monstrosity instead of the Thai-Bali style mansion.



"This is a nightmare," said Whiting. "No foreigner should ever get involved here."



Mastronikolis claimed Whiting discontinued the building contract with him in 2005. He has refused to pay back the couple's money.

"There are some problems here," he told DPA. "Last year there was a slowdown in sales and many developers didn't have the finance to continue a project, because their finance is based on new sales, so they stopped building."



By Peter Janssen



Deutsche Presse-Agentur

[barky]

You know it's bad enough getting ripped-off by the Thais from time to time, but scumbags are still scumbags no matter what their nationality.

[dabiff]

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barky, on 2008-03-15 15:47:23, said:

You know it's bad enough getting ripped-off by the Thais from time to time, but scumbags are still scumbags no matter what their nationality.

Hua Hin is chockablock with em.

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•  Tuck_0001.jpg   755.94K   131 downloads

[cheshiremusicman]

taxexile, on 2008-03-15 14:48:51, said:

HUA HIN
Problems in paradise

In recent years, many tourists have opted to buy a home in Hua Hin. But some have fallen victim to scam artists. A popular hangout for the disgruntled foreign retirees of Hua Hin is the small office of Tuck Dechapanya, owner of the Hua Hin Hotline newspaper and founder of the Hua Hin Foreign Service Link Centre.

Published on March 7, 2008





Tuck, a spry 79-year-old, has become a beacon of hope for foreigners who have been defrauded by dubious developers, most of whom are foreign.



The most popular scam is for developers to secure payments from a buyer and then fail to stick to building timetables, leaving properties unfinished.



Unfamiliar with Thai laws, and wary of drawn-out court cases, many have approached Tuck for informal advice in the hopes he will publish their plight and attract the attention of Hua Hin authorities.



Things are slowly being done. On February 20, a provincial court denied bail for Canadian Mario Karmine Aiello, developer of the Golf Village estate, and forced him to swear he would complete obligations to 13 foreign complainants, who charged him with failing to fulfill his contract, leaving their properties without roads, utilities and registration papers.



Aiello was released on bail five days later. His case is just one of many pending.

"We've been waiting for two years and still our house isn't finished," said a retired army officer, who sold his house in Germany to invest in a Bt6 million home at Orchid Villas, built by Asia Property, run by Briton David Allan McDonald.



Broken dreams



Donald Whiting and his wife Dolly sold their home in Hawaii to invest in a Bt13.6-million villa, with guest-house, tennis court and pool.



The American couple claim Greek George Mastronikolis, a building contractor who also runs the Hua Hin Today newspaper, took their money and left them with an unfinished, substandard concrete monstrosity instead of the Thai-Bali style mansion.



"This is a nightmare," said Whiting. "No foreigner should ever get involved here."



Mastronikolis claimed Whiting discontinued the building contract with him in 2005. He has refused to pay back the couple's money.

"There are some problems here," he told DPA. "Last year there was a slowdown in sales and many developers didn't have the finance to continue a project, because their finance is based on new sales, so they stopped building."



By Peter Janssen



Deutsche Presse-Agentur

No Money eh?
Did anyone attend the opening party of this golf and country club now under the management of Mr. George Mastronikolis, director of "Hua Hin Today" newspaper on 15 March?

How do you rate the facilities?

[ignis]

I know of a few Thais getting ripped-off by Thais from time to time on both small and very large projects

So it happens to anyone regardless of who you are

[jumnien]

Builders and contractors should be presumed as scam artists unless proven otherwise.  Too many sad, sad stories in Hua Hin and other cities of developers running off with investors money and leaving them empty handed.  There are a handful of good people amidst the thousands posturing as developers and estate agents.  Buyer beware!

[johnnyk]

Happens everywhere to natives and expats alike. Loads of Brit scam artists and cowboy builders in France when I lived there and renovated a farmhouse in the 90s. They preyed on their own kind who couldnt speak French.
Samesame Thailand.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Planned to buy land and build in HH and did buy land at Palm Hills Golf Course. After looking into builders and talking to several friends who had homes built it hardly seemed worht while. That combined with land ownership problems I decided on buying a condo.

But on the bright side I had the condo extensively remodeled by a Thai builder. He did outstanding work, although a bit slow. But any problems or changes he did without any charge unless it increased the amount of material. After paying him in full he still will fix any problem that comes up and he has never charged for repairs.

So after being aware of the problems that others have had I am more than happy with our job and price. Had two other quotes and they were both considerable more baht and less work both farang builders.

I should mention I had a Thai friend who acted as supervisor for the job. She got along well with the builder the workers and with us, actually I give her credit for the end results.

[johnnyk]

BEENTHEREDONETHAT, on 2008-03-27 14:16:17, said:

Planned to buy land and build in HH and did buy land at Palm Hills Golf Course. After looking into builders and talking to several friends who had homes built it hardly seemed worht while. That combined with land ownership problems I decided on buying a condo.

But on the bright side I had the condo extensively remodeled by a Thai builder. He did outstanding work, although a bit slow. But any problems or changes he did without any charge unless it increased the amount of material. After paying him in full he still will fix any problem that comes up and he has never charged for repairs.

So after being aware of the problems that others have had I am more than happy with our job and price. Had two other quotes and they were both considerable more baht and less work both farang builders.

I should mention I had a Thai friend who acted as supervisor for the job. She got along well with the builder the workers and with us, actually I give her credit for the end results.

That's the key!

[CHINGER1970]

So many dvelopers and esatate agents here, telling story's they think may get them a sell. Beware, dont blieve.
YOU CANNOT BUY in Thailand FREEHOLD.
If you buy on lease the builder's Thai wife has the land in her name, she can sell or borrow against the land without telling you the leaseholder. WISE UP.

Buy a Condo.

[PeaceBlondie]

I have done some "Spring Housecleaning" and removed defamatory remarks.  Forum rule #1 includes, "1) You will not use thaivisa.com to post any material which is knowingly or can be reasonably construed as false, defamatory, .... or otherwise in violation of any law."

[nanyang]

PeaceBlondie, on 2008-04-06 07:01:33, said:

I have done some "Spring Housecleaning" and removed defamatory remarks. Forum rule #1 includes, "1) You will not use thaivisa.com to post any material which is knowingly or can be reasonably construed as false, defamatory, .... or otherwise in violation of any law."

I am intrigued as to how you arrive at a decision to construe the use of 'low life' as being defamatory.

Low life describes someone as being from a low social class - defamatory!!

[Burgernev]

Quote

Low life describes someone as being from a low social class

Dictionaries describe it as above, and, as 'having low moral character'.

I think we all know how it is meant in this context of this topic.

Burgernev

[Serene]

Besides, nanyang is quite accurate on the decription of the character of the gentleman in question.Fear not PeaceBlondie, most developers of his ilk can barely pay their bar bills these days let alone launch libel actions.Have spirit!

[trotter]

Serene, on 2008-04-06 13:23:55, said:

Besides, nanyang is quite accurate on the decription of the character of the gentleman in question.Fear not PeaceBlondie, most developers of his ilk can barely pay their bar bills these days let alone launch libel actions.Have spirit!

You will be surprised how easy fools are parted with their hard earned cash. Even more surprised how much these developer's and estate agents have accumulated over the boom, the majority have little right to earn anything. most have no business whatsoever as all is in a Thai's name.

As already stated, you cannot buy here with the exception of a Condo, all you buy or think you have bought will be in another's name.

Lease upto you, god fools and gold are easily parted.

Unfair to name a few, Hua Hin Building is a business to be left alone.

[nanyang]

Burgernev, on 2008-04-06 11:07:42, said:

Quote

Low life describes someone as being from a low social class

Dictionaries describe it as above, and, as 'having low moral character'.

I think we all know how it is meant in this context of this topic.

Burgernev

And your point is...........?

My point is that the person I named in a post, which was deleted, is a low life.

My evidence for stating this is that I know the individual whom I named, consequently:

I also know that the 'deleted' individual has spent some time in a U.K. prison - for a crime akin to his 'alleged' misdemeanour here.

Since when has stating a fact been dafamatory?

I eagerly await your response.

Edited by nanyang, 2008-04-07 18:19:37.

[BigSnake]

Some HORROR stories here, just goes to show being rich does make you WISE.   

[misterman21]

Even buying on an established estate can be hazerdous.  But at least you can see what your getting.  Thailand has more than is fair share of con men who are forever on the lookout for 'newbies' (hate that word).  If i was born  to be naive like the punters who have been ripped off then i would also wish to have been born vengefull enough to delete these scum.

[klikster]

There is a web site dedicated to Hua Hin that promotes housing developments and developers .. and surely seems to protect their reputations.  When land ownership issues are posted .. or questions raised about  farang developers .. they come out of the woodwork to shout down the opposition .. especially one of the moderators.

Sadly, IMHO, HH seems to be headed for Pattaya mirror status.

[CHINGER1970]

Hope it does not end up like Pattaya, people say the bars in front of the Hilton are moving to the outskirts of Hua hin, hope thgis is true.

As for the Developers, I bought directly from one, all negotiations were through him, very pleased with my purchase (nice Swiss Gentleman).

Heard some awfull story's though.

Edited by CHINGER1970, 2008-05-04 11:27:25.

[Nodnols]

Buy a Condo, thats safe.

[Bochum]

Lots of stuff about some of these scmmers in the Hua Hin Hotline.

[ChampagneSuper]

Bochum, on 2008-05-05 17:27:09, said:

Lots of stuff about some of these scmmers in the Hua Hin Hotline.

Trouble is loads of them are still at it, Hot Line has only caught a few.
There's dodgy falang developers making millions of US dollars, let alone Baht, selling their properties.

CS

[MysteryPlane]

ChampagneSuper, on 2008-05-05 19:15:33, said:

Bochum, on 2008-05-05 17:27:09, said:

Lots of stuff about some of these scmmers in the Hua Hin Hotline.

Trouble is loads of them are still at it, Hot Line has only caught a few.
There's dodgy falang developers making millions of US dollars, let alone Baht, selling their properties.

CS

Many Foriegn and Thai deveoper's, people are being fleeced of their money and the build they hoped for has not materialised.

Someone needs to get hold of the situation.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

If you shake hands with a Hua Hin developer count your fingers before you leave.

Buy a Condo, easy, safe, less work.

I was really hesitant to buy a condo as I thought it would be to confining and crowded feeling. After talking to developers/builders and listening to the horror stories my friends had about building I decided a condo made more sense. Have been living in one now for 6months and truly love it. Never have to worry about cleaning the pool or taking care of the garden. Have 24 hour guards, a billard room, fitness room and hand ball court. Step out the door walk down past the pool and I'm on the beach. Short walk in either direction to 5star resorts or Thai restaurants. What more could a person want. I might add that the majority of time it is very quiet.