About SamuiForSale
Independent legal insights for foreigners in Thailand since 2005
SamuiForSale was founded between 2005 and 2006 by a legal consultant working at a British-run law firm operating in Bangkok and Koh Samui, during a time when the island felt, quite literally, “for sale.” The name reflects the reality that while land was widely marketed to foreigners, actual legal ownership was (and still is) restricted under Thai law.
The original content was based on a 2005 legal opinion written by Thai lawyer Nuttapol Taechavorrawut, referencing Thai law and Supreme Court judgments. The research focused on foreign ownership of land in Thailand, examining nominee company structures, the legal limitations of so-called 90-year lease agreements, and alternative options such as usufruct rights. This real estate-specific legal foundation continues to guide the site's mission: providing expats and foreign investors with clear, law-based insights free of commercial influence or marketing agendas.
Because of the sensitive legal climate at the time, the site was launched anonymously, and it quickly gained traction. Foreigners began showing up at law firms across Thailand carrying printed SamuiForSale articles, asking sharper questions and challenging risky practices.
Today, SamuiForSale remains an independent, non-commercial platform providing legally grounded, practical information on Thai law for foreigners with a focus on real estate, prenuptial agreements, marriage, and divorce. The site is maintained by a legal consultant holding an LL.M. degree and over 15 years of experience in Thai legal practice, with a background in both Thai and international law firms. To help cover basic website maintenance costs, a small selection of downloadable contract templates is available for purchase, but the core mission remains educational, not commercial.
Over time, the site evolved into more than just legal commentary, it became a reflection on the deeper experience of being a foreigner navigating Thai systems. The image of Ganesha at the Tiger Cave Temple, photographed in Krabi, became a quiet metaphor for this journey: law, misunderstanding, and the risks of acting without seeing.
🕉️ The Monkey and the God
A reflection on wisdom, risk, and the foreigner in Thailand
At the Tiger Cave Temple in Krab I took a photo that would later shape the spirit of this website. A statue of Ganesha serene, powerful, seated in wisdom. At his feet, a bowl of sweets: offerings that represent reward, clarity, and insight gained through humility and discipline.But what struck me that day wasn’t Ganesha. It was the monkey. Not beside him. Not in reverence. Sitting directly on the sweets. That image stayed with me.
The Monkey Is the Foreigner
The foreigner doesn’t mean harm, but he doesn’t understand. He arrives in Thailand and “sits on the sweets” on structures and protections he doesn’t see or understand.
- Signing documents he can’t read
- Investing without due process
- Assuming logic will protect him
- Trusting that good intentions will translate across legal systems
The monkey isn’t punished. But he is being watched.
🕉️ Ganesha Is the Law
In Thai tradition, Ganesha is not just the remover of obstacles, he is the protector of beginnings, the god of clarity and correction. The goad in his hand is not decoration. It is a tool to correct misdirection. And so it is with Thai law. It is not loud, but it is absolute. Polite, quiet, until it isn’t. To the foreigner, it may feel invisible, until it’s already acting. Just like the goad in Ganesha’s hand.
Thai Law Isn’t Simple
“กฏหมายไทย isn’t simple”
That’s the message beneath the image of Ganesha on this site. Not a complaint. A warning. A truth.
Simple doesn’t mean safe.
Complex doesn’t mean broken.
It just means: you’re not the one who wrote it.
The Lesson: Sit Carefully
The monkey in the photo didn’t come for law , but he found himself on top of it. That photo became more than a memory. It became a metaphor.
Don’t sit on the sweets.
Ask first. Learn early. Step carefully.
Ganesha is patient but the law isn’t asleep.
Why Ganesha Appears on This Website
Ganesha isn’t here for decoration. He stands here because he represents what this site is really about:
- Wisdom over assumption
- Respect over shortcut
- Awareness over instinct
The monkey isn’t evil, just early, and unprepared. But Ganesha is watching. And Thai law has a long memory.
“The monkey doesn’t mean harm. But ignorance is not immunity.”
“In Thailand, even the sweets come with rules.”
Smart Legal Start.
ความหมายเชิงสัญลักษณ์ของภาพนี้ (ภาษาไทย)
ที่ยอดเขาวัดถ้ำเสือ กระบี่ ผมได้ถ่ายภาพพระพิฆเนศ—เทพแห่งปัญญา ผู้ขจัดอุปสรรค—นั่งสงบนิ่งอยู่ เหนือชามขนมหวานที่แสดงถึงรางวัลของความรู้และความเข้าใจ
สิ่งที่สะดุดตากลับไม่ใช่พระพิฆเนศ... แต่เป็นลิง
ลิงไม่ได้ยืนเคารพบูชา แต่กลับ นั่งทับขนมหวาน โดยไม่รู้ความหมายของมัน
สำหรับผม ลิงตัวนั้นคือ "ชาวต่างชาติ" ที่เข้ามาในประเทศไทยโดยไร้ความเข้าใจในกฎหมาย วัฒนธรรม และความซับซ้อนที่เงียบงันของระบบไทย
- เซ็นเอกสารที่อ่านไม่ออก
- ลงทุนโดยไม่มีการตรวจสอบ
- คิดว่าความตั้งใจดีเพียงพอ
- เข้าใจผิดว่าตรรกะจะปกป้องเขาได้
พระพิฆเนศไม่ได้โกรธลิง... แต่เฝ้ามองอยู่
กฎหมายไทยไม่ใช่สิ่งที่ดังเสมอไป — แต่มันแน่นอน
ไม่ซับซ้อนไม่ได้แปลว่าดี ง่ายไม่ได้แปลว่าปลอดภัย
“กฏหมายไทย ไม่ง่าย”
ลิงไม่ได้ตั้งใจผิด... แต่ความไม่รู้ไม่ใช่ภูมิคุ้มกัน
“แม้แต่ขนมหวาน... ก็มีระเบียบในประเทศไทย”
เริ่มต้นอย่างฉลาด — Smart Legal Start