Can foreigners buy property in Thailand?

Condo units

Freehold in your name, within 49% of the building’s sellable area

Houses and villas

Registered lease up to 30 years, often with building ownership

Land

Not directly owned by foreigners

Reviewed

13 October 2026. Rules may change, check before you buy

What a foreigner can own in Thailand

Condo freehold and the 49% quota

The Condominium Act allows foreigners to own condo units freehold in their own name, with the same rights as Thai owners. The limit is that foreign owners, taken together, may hold no more than 49% of the total sellable area in any one building. The quota is measured by area, not by the number of units, and it applies building by building, so ask whether quota is still available before you reserve.

The purchase funds must arrive in Thailand from abroad in foreign currency. The receiving bank provides a foreign-exchange transaction document, commonly called a Thor Tor 3 or FET form, which the Land Office asks for at registration. Keep it safe.

Leasehold: what 30 years really means

A lease registered at the Land Office can run for up to 30 years for residential use. Contracts often advertise “30+30+30” renewals, but only the first 30 years are guaranteed by law. Recent court decisions have confirmed that pre-agreed renewals beyond that period cannot be relied on. Treat any renewal option as a bonus, and value the property on its first 30 years.

Superficies and usufruct

A superficies is a right to own a building on someone else’s land, often used with a land lease so a foreigner’s ownership of a villa or house is documented. A usufruct gives a right to use and enjoy a property, sometimes for life, and is registered at the Land Office. Each has its own rules, so your lawyer should explain how they fit your situation.

Buying with a Thai spouse

A Thai spouse can hold land in their own name. The Land Office usually requires the foreign spouse to sign a declaration about the source of funds, and the legal position on ownership, inheritance and divorce is complex. Take independent legal advice before relying on this route.

Thai companies and nominee structures

Some sellers suggest buying land through a Thai company where Thai shareholders hold a nominal majority. We do not recommend this. Authorities have increased scrutiny of nominee arrangements, and penalties and loss of the asset are real risks, borne by the buyer.

Proposed changes

Governments have discussed extending the maximum lease term to 99 years and raising the condo foreign quota, but at the time of our last review neither change had been enacted, so the 49% quota and the 30-year lease limit remain the rules to plan around. Check the current position with Thailand’s Department of Lands or your lawyer before you commit.