Question 1

What is the 49% foreign quota for buying a condominium?

Accepted Answer

Under the Condominium Act, foreign ownership across an entire building is capped so that the combined floor space held by aliens cannot pass forty-nine out of every hundred parts of the building's condominium area, a limit measured by floor space rather than by counting individual units. Before any transfer, the juristic person of the condominium must issue a certificate confirming the cap still leaves room. Once that ceiling is reached, a foreigner cannot register purchase under their own name and instead has to wait for a current foreign owner to exit or explore alternatives such as a long lease or a genuinely operating Thai company structure. Always confirm this certificate before handing over deposit money.

Question 2

How must funds be transferred from abroad to buy a condo?

Accepted Answer

The full purchase price must arrive from abroad in foreign currency, pass through a Thai bank, and be converted to baht onshore. Once the amount exceeds fifty thousand US dollars or the equivalent, the bank issues a Foreign Exchange Transaction certificate, commonly called an FET copy, stating the purpose as purchasing a condominium specifically. This document must be presented at the Land Office on the transfer date to prove the funds' lawful foreign source. For amounts below the threshold or baht transfers from a domestic account, a different bank confirmation letter is required instead, but it must still state the purpose clearly.

Question 3

Must the name on the FET certificate exactly match the buyer named on the title?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they must match. The Land Office will refuse to register the transfer if the transferee named on the title deed differs from the remitter named on the bank certificate. Where spouses buy jointly or a third party wires the funds, the purpose and the true buyer's name must be stated in the transfer instructions from the outset, or the bank must issue a supplementary letter clarifying whose benefit the funds were for. This problem arises often when funds pass through an agent or an overseas brokerage, so the remittance route should be planned with a lawyer before transferring to avoid delaying the registration date.

Question 4

Why can't foreigners own land outright in Thailand?

Accepted Answer

Section 86 of the Land Code bars aliens from acquiring land except under a treaty or specific statutory permission, and section 96 bis allows land purchase for residence, capped at one rai, only for those investing at least forty million baht under conditions set by the Cabinet — a route very rarely used in practice given its strict conditions. Separately, investment-promotion and industrial-estate legislation lets promoted foreign-owned companies hold land for their operations as a special case. Outside these narrow exceptions, a foreigner wanting to use land instead relies on a lease right, a usufruct, or holding through a genuine Thai company that is not a nominee structure.

Question 5

How is a 30-year land or building lease registered?

Accepted Answer

This special statute operates alongside section 538 of the Civil and Commercial Code, extending the maximum lease term beyond what ordinary law allows once the commercial or industrial project reaches the capital threshold it sets. Skipping the written form and Land Office registration leaves the arrangement enforceable for only the standard three years. A plain residential tenancy tops out at a thirty-year registration per round, whereas commercial and industrial land under this special law can stretch to fifty years, with one further renewal capped at forty years. Wording that promises the deal will keep renewing on its own past the thirty-year mark will not tie the hands of the original owner's heirs or whoever later buys the land. Tenants relying on this structure should therefore push for extra safeguards, such as first refusal on a sale or a written undertaking signed by the owner's heirs.

Question 6

When does the Commercial and Industrial Property Leasing Act apply?

Accepted Answer

This Act applies to leasing land or buildings for commercial or industrial operations with capital investment at or above the threshold set by ministerial regulation, allowing lease terms from thirty up to fifty years with one further renewal of up to forty years, unlike the thirty-year cap on ordinary residential leases. Tenants investing in a factory or long-term warehouse typically choose this route for greater security of tenure. Registration requires submitting investment-plan and land-use-purpose documents to the land official, and registration still takes place at the Land Office as with an ordinary lease.

Question 7

What is a usufruct and how does it differ from a lease?

Accepted Answer

A usufruct under section 1417 of the Civil and Commercial Code gives the holder possession, use, and the right to the fruits of another's property as if they were the owner, including the right to sublet, for a term up to the usufructuary's lifetime or a fixed period not exceeding thirty years. Unlike a lease, a usufruct is a real right attached to the property itself and survives even if the owner sells the land to someone else. It only becomes complete once registered with the land official at the Land Office. It is often used by a foreign spouse wanting lifetime security of residence without repeatedly renewing a thirty-year lease.

Question 8

How does a right of habitation differ from a usufruct?

Accepted Answer

A right of habitation created under section 1402 permits its holder to occupy a house belonging to someone else free of rent, though solely for personal use by the holder and family, with no allowance to sublet or draw commercial gain the way a usufruct does. Like a usufruct, its duration may track the holder's remaining lifetime or be fixed at up to thirty years, and it needs registration at the provincial land office before it binds anyone beyond the immediate parties. It tends to fit a parent or a foreign spouse seeking guaranteed housing inside a home titled to someone else, sidestepping the broader commercial dimension that a usufruct carries.

Question 9

When is a right of superficies used for building a house?

Accepted Answer

A right of superficies under section 1410 lets the holder own a structure built on another's land separately from ownership of the land itself, suiting a foreigner who wants to build a house on land owned by a Thai spouse or another party — the house is registered as belonging to the builder even though they do not own the land. Its term can run for either party's lifetime or up to thirty years like the other real rights, and it must be registered with the land official to be complete. When the right ends, ownership of the structure typically passes to the landowner as agreed in the contract, so compensation terms for the construction cost should be spelled out clearly from the outset.

Question 10

What is the nominee risk in holding land through a Thai company?

Accepted Answer

Read together, the Foreign Business Act and the Land Code prevent a Thai company from operating as a disguised vehicle for foreign land ownership, in setups where local individuals sit on the share register while neither funding their shares nor bearing any real business risk. Officials examining title records can look behind the paperwork to establish whether a listed Thai shareholder's money truly came from that person. Once a nominee arrangement is confirmed, the authorities may order the land sold within a set period, and the individuals arranging it, including company directors, face criminal fines and imprisonment. To stay compliant, Thai shareholders must contribute real capital, actually exercise control proportionate to their stake, and the company must run a genuine business generating income rather than merely warehousing land for a foreign owner's benefit.

Question 11

What extra document is required when a Thai spouse buys land after marrying a foreigner?

Accepted Answer

Even though a Thai spouse can normally buy land freely, if the purchase money is marital property acquired during the marriage, the Land Department requires the foreign spouse to sign a letter confirming the funds used are the Thai spouse's separate property alone, not marital property, so the foreigner cannot later claim an interest in the land as an indirect way around the Land Code's restriction. Without this letter, the Land Office will not register the transfer to the Thai spouse. On a later divorce, land bought with separate property remains solely the Thai spouse's asset, while any house or structure on it may be assessed separately based on the actual facts of who funded it.

Question 12

Can a foreigner inherit land in Thailand?

Accepted Answer

A foreigner can inherit land as a statutory heir or a beneficiary under a will, but under section 93 of the Land Code must obtain the Interior Minister's permission to keep it. Without such permission, the land must be sold within a period set by the Director-General of the Land Department, generally not exceeding one year; otherwise the Director-General may sell it and remit the proceeds to the heir after deducting expenses. In practice, permission to retain the land is almost never granted, so foreign heirs typically sell and take the proceeds instead, or, where a Thai spouse is a co-heir, transfer their share so the Thai spouse alone holds the property.

Question 13

In what form can a foreigner buy a house together with land?

Accepted Answer

Thai law treats a building as a piece of property capable of separate ownership from the ground it sits on, so a foreign buyer may purchase and register just the structure at the district office or land office without needing any special approval. The plot underneath then has to be arranged separately, whether by a long lease, a usufruct, or by titling it to a Thai spouse instead. Gated village houses and stand-alone provincial homes both commonly use this split arrangement. Buyers should keep the land lease agreement and the house purchase agreement as two distinct, clearly worded contracts and spell out what happens once the lease term ends, whether renewal or teardown, to head off later disagreements.

Question 14

What documents must be checked before transferring a condo or land purchase?

Accepted Answer

Buyers should obtain a current certified copy of the title deed from the Land Office to check ownership, mortgages, seizures, or transfer restrictions that may not appear on the seller's own copy, and verify boundaries with a land survey official if there is any concern about overlapping plots. For a condo, check the foreign-quota certificate, any outstanding common-area fees owed to the juristic person, and obtain a debt-free letter before the transfer date. A lawyer should ensure the sale-purchase agreement includes a deposit-refund clause if an encumbrance or a full quota surfaces later, protecting the buyer before a large sum changes hands.

Question 15

What transfer fees and taxes apply to a property purchase?

Accepted Answer

The Land Office transfer fee is two percent of the appraised or sale price, whichever is higher. The seller owes withholding income tax at progressive rates for individuals or one percent for a corporate seller, plus stamp duty of zero point five percent unless specific business tax applies instead at three point three percent when the property was held under five years and the seller was not registered as resident there. These costs are usually split between buyer and seller by agreement in the sale-purchase contract. A foreign buyer should specify clearly in the contract who bears which item to prevent a dispute arising at the Land Office on transfer day.

Question 16

What special rights does the Thai-US Treaty of Amity give American nationals?

Accepted Answer

The Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations between Thailand and the United States lets American individuals and companies conduct business in Thailand on terms close to those for Thai nationals, exempting them from several restrictions under the Foreign Business Act, including majority shareholding in many sectors normally reserved for Thais. However, the treaty does not grant direct land ownership rights, because the Land Code is separate legislation that the treaty does not override. A company registered under Treaty of Amity certification therefore still faces the same land restrictions as any other foreign-owned company.

Question 17

How should a buyer protect against risk when buying an off-plan condo?

Accepted Answer

Before paying a deposit, check the construction permit and, where applicable, the land allocation license or environmental impact report, and confirm the project is properly registered with the Land Department. The sale-purchase agreement should state a firm handover date with penalty interest for late delivery beyond the agreed period, plus a full-refund clause if the project is cancelled or fails to obtain its occupancy permit. A foreign buyer should also watch for the 49% foreign quota potentially filling up before completion, and should ask the developer for written confirmation of the quota allocation in advance.

Question 18

How do BOI promotion or the LTR visa relate to holding real estate?

Accepted Answer

Investment promotion by the Board of Investment lets certain promoted juristic entities hold land for their promoted business according to the approved project scale, but this is a corporate right tied to the business purpose, not a personal right the foreign shareholder can use to buy a private home. The Long-Term Resident, or LTR, visa grants residence permission and certain tax benefits, but it does not extend any personal land-ownership right. An LTR visa holder must still use the ordinary channels available to any foreigner, such as buying a condo within the foreign quota or entering a long-term land lease.

Question 19

What if a resale condo purchase reveals unpaid common-area fees from the previous owner?

Accepted Answer

The condominium juristic person can withhold the debt-free letter until outstanding common-area fees are fully paid, and the Land Office will not register the transfer without that letter accompanying the application. Buyers should therefore require in the sale-purchase agreement that the seller clear all arrears before the transfer date, or have the outstanding amount deducted directly from the sale price at closing. If the seller refuses to pay, the buyer can hold off the transfer until the debt-free letter is issued. In practice, a lawyer or agent should check the outstanding balance with the juristic person at least a week before the scheduled transfer.

Question 20

How can a foreigner who is not in Thailand complete a condo transfer remotely?

Accepted Answer

A buyer unable to travel for the transfer date can execute a specific power of attorney authorizing a lawyer or trusted person to act at the Land Office instead. The document must be executed before a Thai consulate where the buyer resides, or notarized and then legalized by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a Thai consulate so it is valid within the Kingdom. It must clearly state the authority granted — receiving the transferred title, signing the fund-transfer documents, and collecting the title deed on the buyer's behalf. The Land Department scrutinizes such powers of attorney closely, so a lawyer should draft and review it before it is sent abroad for signature.

Question 21

Can a foreigner get a mortgage loan from a Thai bank to buy a condo?

Accepted Answer

Most Thai commercial banks do not lend for home purchases to foreigners without permanent residence in Thailand. A handful of foreign banks with Thai branches or certain regional banks may consider lending under specific conditions, such as requiring Thai-sourced income or an account with the same bank group in the buyer's home country, usually at markedly stricter rates and terms than for Thai borrowers. In practice, foreign buyers most often pay in cash remitted from abroad, or borrow from a bank in their home country and wire the lump sum in for a single purchase, since the FET requirement still applies regardless of where the loan funds originated.

Question 22

How does a prenuptial agreement help protect assets before marrying a Thai national?

Accepted Answer

A prenuptial agreement under the Civil and Commercial Code must be registered together with the marriage registration at the district office to take effect. It can specify which assets belong separately to each party before marriage, including a house or condo the foreign party bought beforehand, preventing it from becoming marital property subject to an even split on divorce. Without one, property acquired during the marriage automatically counts as marital property under the law even if only one spouse paid for it. Amending it after marriage is difficult and requires court permission, so it should be finalized before the marriage registration date.

Question 23

Can land be transferred to a minor child who holds Thai nationality?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because a child holding Thai nationality is not subject to the Land Code's restriction. However, because the child is a minor, later transactions involving that land — sale, mortgage, or lease — require the legal representative to obtain court permission first under section 1574 of the Civil and Commercial Code, or the transaction is voidable. If the father is foreign and the Thai mother never registered the marriage, the foreign father has no parental authority under Thai law until legitimation is properly registered, so guardianship arrangements should be planned alongside any land transfer to the child from the outset.

Question 24

How can a foreign company in an industrial estate hold land?

Accepted Answer

The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand Act lets a foreign-owned juristic person operating within an industrial estate own land inside the estate for its industrial and related operations without needing case-by-case permission under the Land Code, and it may also buy land to build housing for its executives or workers within the estate up to the proportion the law allows. This right is tied strictly to the company's status as an estate operator; if it ceases operations or relocates out of the estate, it must dispose of that land within the statutory period. A company interested in using this route should confirm the conditions with the Industrial Estate Authority before investing.

Question 25

Between a long-term lease and buying a condo, which carries more legal risk?

Accepted Answer

Buying a condo confers full ownership that can normally be resold or passed on by inheritance; the main risk lies in checking the foreign quota and any encumbrances before transfer. A long-term lease, even when properly registered, remains only a contractual right, not a real right equivalent to ownership. If the landowner goes bankrupt and creditors execute against the land, the tenant's registered rights can still be affected under bankruptcy law. A second renewal term also typically does not bind the original owner's heirs. Tenants should therefore choose financially stable counterparties and consider registering a usufruct alongside the lease for added long-term security.

Question 26

Can a foreigner make a Thai will leaving a condo to a foreign heir?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A condo unit already owned by a foreigner within the foreign quota can pass to a foreign heir without counting as an acquisition of land under the Land Code, since a condominium unit is not land. The heir must still petition a Thai court to be appointed estate administrator before the Land Office will register the transfer. The will should be in Thai or accompanied by a certified translation, name the property and beneficiary clearly, and be kept safely with the intended administrator informed in advance, reducing delay and disputes among heirs during the Thai court process.

Question 27

What costs apply to registering a lease right at the Land Office?

Accepted Answer

Registering a lease exceeding three years incurs a registration fee of one percent of the total rent over the whole term, plus stamp duty of a further zero point one percent of that total rent. The parties usually agree between themselves who pays which portion, and this should be specified clearly in the lease from the start to avoid disputes on the registration date. Where the lease sets a single large upfront rent payment instead of monthly rent, the fee and duty are calculated on that full lump sum. Tenants should factor this cost in early when comparing a lease against buying a condo outright.

Question 28

How does a usufruct differ from a long-term lease for a foreigner planning to live on the property for life?

Accepted Answer

A usufruct under the Civil and Commercial Code is a real right allowing the holder to use and enjoy the property's benefits for the rest of their own life without needing renewal, unlike a lease which is capped at thirty years and requires fresh negotiation once that term ends. A usufruct is registered at the Land Office, and specific rules can exempt transfer fees for gratuitous grants between spouses. Crucially, if the landowner dies before the usufruct holder, the right still binds the owner's heirs until the holder's own death. Anyone planning long-term residence should consider registering a usufruct alongside a lease for maximum security if the land changes hands.

สิทธิในทรัพย์สินของชาวต่างชาติในประเทศไทย

ลัดไปยังคำถามในหมวดนี้

แปลเอกสารและรับรองคำแปล

คำแปล NAATI สำหรับออสเตรเลีย

รับรองเอกสารโดยทนาย Notary Public

รับรองนิติกรณ์กรมการกงสุลและสถานทูต

Apostille ตามอนุสัญญาเฮก 1961

วีซ่าและใบอนุญาตทำงาน

หนังสือรับรองความประพฤติและตรวจประวัติอาชญากรรม

จดทะเบียนสมรสและเอกสารครอบครัว

บัญชี ภาษี และงบการเงินสำหรับธุรกิจในไทย

จดทะเบียนบริษัทและการถือหุ้นของชาวต่างชาติ

บัตรเดินทางนักธุรกิจเอเปค (APEC Business Travel Card)

นิติกรณ์เอกสารรายประเทศปลายทาง

เอกสารการศึกษาและใบรับรองวิชาชีพ

ทะเบียนราษฎร หย่า และรับบุตรบุญธรรม

งานแปลเฉพาะทาง สัญญา การแพทย์ และเอกสารคดี

บริการล่ามในงานราชการ ศาล และการเจรจาธุรกิจ

ที่ดิน คอนโด และสัญญาเช่าสำหรับผู้ซื้อชาวต่างชาติ

พันธสัญญา มรดก และการจัดการทรัพย์สินข้ามประเทศ

สัญญาจ้าง เลิกจ้าง และคดีแรงงาน

ส่งเสริมการลงทุน BOI และใบอนุญาตประกอบธุรกิจต่างชาติ

ภาษีบุคคลธรรมดาของชาวต่างชาติและการแลกเปลี่ยนข้อมูลบัญชี

ประกันสังคม กองทุนเงินทดแทน และสิทธิของลูกจ้างต่างชาติ

เครื่องหมายการค้า ลิขสิทธิ์ และทรัพย์สินทางปัญญา

ร่างและตรวจสัญญาธุรกิจ

บังคับคดีและสืบทรัพย์

คดีอาญาและการประกันตัว

ใบอนุญาตประกอบกิจการและ อย.

PDPA และการคุ้มครองข้อมูลส่วนบุคคล

ภาษีที่ดิน สิ่งปลูกสร้าง และค่าโอน

ล้มละลายและฟื้นฟูกิจการ

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e-Tax Invoice และระบบภาษีดิจิทัล

พิธีการศุลกากร นำเข้า-ส่งออก

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อนุญาโตตุลาการและการไกล่เกลี่ย

ขายออนไลน์และธุรกิจดิจิทัล

ครอบครัวข้ามชาติ หย่า และอำนาจปกครองบุตร

หน้าที่รายงานตัวและการรักษาสถานะคนต่างชาติ

โอนเงินเข้าออกประเทศและหลักฐานแหล่งเงิน

สัญญาก่อสร้างและงานรับเหมา

สมาคม มูลนิธิ และองค์กรไม่แสวงหากำไร

ขอ อย. อาหาร เครื่องสำอาง และผลิตภัณฑ์สมุนไพร

วีซ่าพำนักระยะยาวในไทย

ใบอนุญาตทำงานและหน้าที่ของนายจ้าง

ภาษีรายได้ดิจิทัลและสินทรัพย์ดิจิทัล

ใบอนุญาตขนส่งและโลจิสติกส์

ใบอนุญาตโรงแรม สถานบริการ และสุรา

ภาษีมูลค่าเพิ่มและใบกำกับภาษี

ใบอนุญาตโรงงานและนิคมอุตสาหกรรม

ใบอนุญาตฟินเทค การชำระเงินและสินทรัพย์ดิจิทัล

ใบอนุญาตคลินิก สปาและธุรกิจสุขภาพ

การเปิดบัญชีธนาคารและการเข้าถึงสินเชื่อของชาวต่างชาติ

ใบขับขี่ การจดทะเบียนรถและการนำรถเข้าประเทศ

ใบสำคัญถิ่นที่อยู่ถาวรและการแปลงสัญชาติ

ใบอนุญาตธุรกิจนำเที่ยวและบัตรมัคคุเทศก์

นิติบุคคลอาคารชุดและหมู่บ้านจัดสรร

การไปทำงานต่างประเทศของแรงงานไทย

ใบอนุญาตโรงเรียนเอกชนและสถาบันกวดวิชา

ที่ดินเกษตรกรรมและเอกสารสิทธิ์แต่ละชั้น

ติดตั้งโซลาร์และใบอนุญาตด้านพลังงาน

งานเงินเดือน สลิปพนักงาน และภาษีหัก ณ ที่จ่ายรายเดือน

ขั้นตอนคดีแพ่งในศาลไทย ตั้งแต่ยื่นฟ้องถึงชั้นฎีกา

หมิ่นประมาท ข้อความออนไลน์ และความผิดทางคอมพิวเตอร์

ถูกสรรพากรตรวจสอบภาษี การประเมิน และการอุทธรณ์

งบการเงิน การสอบบัญชี และการรายงานให้บริษัทแม่

ภาษีหัก ณ ที่จ่าย ใช้อัตราไหน ยื่นแบบใด และแก้ผิดพลาดอย่างไร

ราคาโอนระหว่างบริษัทในเครือ เอกสารที่ต้องมีและวิธีตั้งราคา

ไกล่เกลี่ยและทำสัญญาประนีประนอม ทางจบคดีที่เร็วกว่าการสืบพยาน

ฟ้องหน่วยงานรัฐในศาลปกครอง เงื่อนไข ระยะเวลา และสิ่งที่ขอได้

ข้อพิพาทผู้ถือหุ้นและกรรมการ แก้ทางไหนได้ก่อนถึงศาล

คดีผู้บริโภค ฟ้องร้านหรือถูกลูกค้าฟ้อง ต้องเตรียมอะไร

ภาษีเงินได้นิติบุคคล ยื่นครึ่งปีและปลายปีให้ไม่ถูกปรับ

ย้ายสำนักงานบัญชีหรือเปลี่ยนระบบกลางปี ทำอย่างไรไม่ให้ข้อมูลหาย

งานเลขานุการบริษัท ทะเบียนกรรมการ ประชุมผู้ถือหุ้น และการนำส่งงบ

อากรแสตมป์ ตราสารที่ต้องติด อัตรา และผลเมื่อไม่ปิดอากร

สินค้าคงเหลือและต้นทุน ตรวจนับสต๊อก วิธีคิดต้นทุน และผลต่างที่อธิบายได้

หนังสือมอบอำนาจ เขียนให้ใช้ได้จริงกับที่ดิน ธนาคาร ศาล และหน่วยราชการ

ปิดงบย้อนหลังและงบค้างส่ง ทำให้กลับมาสะอาดได้อย่างไร