Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing an issue involving foreigners involved with real estate firms here in Thailand. For those who are unaware, there are a number of restricted occupations in Thailand: matters pertaining to agency brokeraging, real estate, land trading, that type of thing, that's all pretty well restricted to Thai nationals only. And it is definitely something that I think a lot of foreigners think because folks are out there getting away with violating those rules, that it somehow makes it okay. Well at the end of the day, these things have a way of kind of coming full circle for lack of a better term. 

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Bangkok Post, bangkokpost.com, the article is titled:  "Crackdown to curb 'job stealing' foreigners. Quoting directly: “Some illegal businesses were found to be operated by foreign nationals on long-stay visitor visas said Mr Chalermpong. He urged," and this is a person, this was I believe MP at the time, quoting further: "He urged the committee to inspect businesses, notably real estate firms, that are suspected of using Thai nominees." Quoting further: "Move Forward MP Sittiphol Viboonthanakul, the committee chairman, said he would work with the authorities to study how the law can be updated to make enforcement stronger and more effective in dealing with illegal foreign business ownership." That bears repeating: "How the law can be updated to make enforcements stronger and more effective in dealing with illegal foreign business ownership." 

Folks I can't stress this enough. Thai Authorities are really serious about all of this foreign encroachment into what are traditionally areas specifically restricted to Thais. I know the foreign community, I get burned in the comments, even people tell me in person what they think of me explaining this. But at the end of the day, don't shoot the messenger. I'm just telling you how it's going to go down and I am telling you what's going down and I am telling you what, if nothing else I'd like to provide some insight into the paradigm here and the paradigm is one where looking back on the past 6 months where we have had an influx of foreigners come in and do a lot of really outlandish stuff on one level but at the same time we are also seeing a lot of foreigners who are disregarding Thailand's Labour Law either entirely by not having a Work Permit or disregarding them in such a way they may have a Work Permit but their actual activities may violate the specifically restricted occupations. Again and real estate seems to be something that Thai Authorities are especially or I should say maybe acutely concerned about.

So this is something to bear in mind and hopefully it acts as a heads up for folks that may be not quite operating within the boundaries they should be, to perhaps sort of for lack of a better term get your house in order.