How to read a Thai title deed for its rai-ngan-wah area

The most common is the Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor), surveyed and fixed by boundary markers or GPS coordinates — the most precise area figure of any Thai land document. Below it sits Nor Sor 3 Gor, positioned using aerial photo maps but not yet through a full Chanote-grade survey, and Nor Sor 3 / Nor Sor 3 Kor, which locate a plot only roughly, without a precise map reference.

Below those sits Sor Kor 1, a mere notification of possession rather than proof of ownership, and Sor Por Kor 4-01, an agricultural land-use right that cannot be bought and sold the way a full title can. Before quoting or converting an area figure from any document, check which type it is — the reliability of the number varies significantly between them. See the full breakdown of each document type in Thai land title deed types, explained.

On a Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor), the front page shows a plot diagram with compass bearings and boundary lengths. Below or beside that diagram is a line labelled "เนื้อที่" (area), given in rai, ngan and square wah — for example "2 rai 1 ngan 30 square wah." That figure is the one used in sales, mortgages, and land-tax calculations.

On a Nor Sor 3 Gor or Nor Sor 3, the area sits in a similar spot but is usually flagged as approximate, since these documents haven't gone through the same precision survey as a Chanote.

An area written as "2-1-30" reads left to right as rai - ngan - square wah: 2 rai, 1 ngan, 30 square wah. Converted to square metres, that's 2 × 1,600 plus 1 × 400 plus 30 × 4 — 3,720 square metres in total. Try it with the figure from your own deed at the rai-ngan-wah to square metres converter.

If a figure lists only rai and square wah with no ngan — for example "5 rai - 80 square wah" — treat ngan as zero and calculate as usual.

The plot diagram on a title deed usually isn't printed to exact scale — it shows shape and orientation, not a ruler-accurate distance. To subdivide or merge a title, or to resolve any doubt about a boundary, the only route is a fresh survey filed with the local Land Office.

The area figure on the deed is the legally authoritative one for transactions, but in practice a fresh field measurement can differ slightly, a legacy of the survey technology used when older deeds were issued.

For any doubt about a specific plot's area, boundary position, or document type, the authority that surveys, registers, and issues Thai land documents is the Department of Lands (dol.go.th), which maintains the national title registry and handles registration of rights and transactions.

The local Land Office branch is the fastest point of contact for a certified copy of a title, checking encumbrances, or filing a boundary re-survey before a sale. The figures in this article are for general understanding only and don't replace checking the original document with the relevant government office.

• Confirm whether the document is a Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor) or a lower tier — the precision of the area figure differs significantly.
• Look for the line labelled "เนื้อที่" (area) on the document itself, not a number estimated from the plot diagram.
• Always read the figure left to right, in the order rai - ngan - square wah.
• Don't measure the plot diagram with a ruler — it isn't printed to exact scale.
• If the figure looks off, file for a boundary re-survey with the local Land Office before signing a contract, rather than guessing.