Can foreigners buy land in Thailand?

Under Section 86 of the Land Code, foreign nationals generally have no right to hold title to land in Thailand — whether purchased with cash or through any form of investment. This applies to all vacant land, both residential and agricultural.

The exceptions that do exist are narrow — for example, inheriting land as a statutory heir in specific circumstances, which still generally requires selling the land within a legally set period if the heir doesn't otherwise qualify to hold it.

The Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Leasing Act allows land leases of up to 50 years in certain commercial cases. Ordinary residential land leases under the Civil and Commercial Code are capped at 30 years per contract and can be renewed, but renewal isn't automatically enforceable by law — it depends on agreement with the lessor.

A long-term lease should be registered at the Land Office to bind third parties and be fully enforceable. Buyers should clarify renewal terms, transferability of the lease, and ownership of any structures on the land before signing — including the actual area recorded on the title, covered in How to read a Thai title deed for its rai-ngan-wah area.

The Condominium Act allows foreigners to directly hold freehold title to a condo unit, subject to the rule that foreign-owned units in any one project cannot exceed 49% of the building's total unit area. Before deciding, it's worth understanding what a condo's square-metre figure actually covers — see Condo size vs. house plot size: two different figures.

The purchase funds generally must be transferred from abroad in foreign currency, with a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form as proof, which is required when registering the transfer of ownership at the Land Office.

A few narrow channels exist, such as land rights for residential purposes granted through a qualifying investment under Section 96 bis of the Land Code, which carries a fairly high minimum investment threshold and area limit, or special arrangements under BOI investment promotion for certain businesses — all of which should go through a qualified lawyer before proceeding.

Holding land indirectly through a Thai company with majority Thai shareholding, structured to let a foreigner control the land, carries significant legal risk if used to circumvent the ownership restriction. Always consult a lawyer experienced in Thai land law and foreign investment before deciding on any structure.

Registration of rights and transactions over land and condo units — including verifying the foreign-ownership quota in a condominium — falls under the Department of Lands (dol.go.th), the authority with power to review and approve title transfers at every Land Office branch.

Before signing any sale or long-term lease agreement, check the latest requirements with the local Land Office and consult a lawyer who specialises in Thai land law, since rules and quotas can be updated periodically.

• Direct ownership of vacant land isn't possible, except in narrow legal cases such as inheriting it under specific conditions.
• Long-term leasehold runs up to 30 years for residential use, or up to 50 years in certain commercial cases — register the lease at the Land Office.
• Freehold ownership of a condo unit is possible directly, within the 49% foreign-ownership quota per building.
• Condo purchase funds must be transferred from abroad, backed by a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form.
• Avoid nominee structures or companies set up purely to bypass the ownership restriction — the legal risk is significant.