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Can a foreigner buy property in Thailand?

Foreigners cannot own the land, only lease it or hold use rights

Thailand does not allow foreigners to own land. A foreigner can own a flat in a condominium, within a limit on the share of the building that may be foreign-owned, or lease land and own the house on it.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Foreigners cannot own land in Thailand. A foreigner can lease land on a long lease, which is limited by law to a fixed number of years and then must be renewed under the contract.

Houses and flats

A foreigner may own a condominium unit, as long as foreign owners together hold less than half of the total area of the building. A foreigner may also own a house, but not the land under it.

Buying through a company

A Thai company with a majority of foreign shareholders is treated as foreign and cannot own land either. Using Thai nominee shareholders to get around this is unlawful and risky.

Limits and closed zones

  • The foreign share in a condominium is limited by law, so the developer must confirm that the quota is not used up.

What to watch for

  • Check the title deed type at the Land Department, and the lease terms, before paying. Do not buy through nominee arrangements.

Understand the legal system first

Thailand belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Thailand legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Thailand with another country →

Official sources

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TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.