Note. This page explains the rules as of 19 October 2026 and does not replace a lawyer who will see your contract and title.
An apartment in Thailand for a foreigner means a unit in a condominium (in Thai ห้องชุด, “hong chut”, in English a unit or condo). The building must be registered under the Condominium Act, and the unit has its own title.
What you need to buy a unit freehold
The law sets three conditions, and each is checked at registration in the Land Office:
- Who you are under the law. Section 19 of the Condominium Act lists the foreigners allowed to own a unit: those with permission to reside in the Kingdom, those admitted under the investment promotion law, certain legal entities, and those who brought money in from abroad (item 5). Your passport does not matter: the law does not separate foreigners by nationality
- Where the money comes from. A buyer under item 5 shows evidence at registration that they brought in foreign currency, or withdrew money from a non-resident baht account or a foreign currency account, for at least the price of the unit (Sec. 19 ter)
- The building quota. Foreigners together may own no more than 49% of the total unit area in one condominium at the time the condominium was registered (Sec. 19 bis). It counts area, not the number of units
If the documents are in order and the quota is not exceeded after the sale, the Land Office registers the transfer (Sec. 19 quater). From then on the unit is registered in your name, and you can sell it or leave it to heirs.
What a foreigner can and cannot own
| What you buy | Freehold possible | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Unit in a condominium | yes, with imported funds and a free 49% quota | Condominium Act, Sec. 19, 19 bis, 19 ter |
| Plot of land | not as a general rule | Land Code, Sec. 86 and 96 bis |
| Villa or house on land | not the land, a lease of up to 30 years remains | Land Code, Sec. 86; Civil and Commercial Code, Sec. 540 |
What is discussed but not passed: a 75% quota and 99-year leases. As of October 2026 the law still says 49% and 30 years, see the 75% quota and 99-year lease.
How to go about it, step by step
- Pick a building and ask the condominium juristic person for a letter on the free foreign quota as of the date of the sale
- Before you transfer, ask the bank and a lawyer which document the bank will issue as evidence of the imported funds, and name the specific unit in the payment reference
- Check the title of the unit and the developer: legal entity status, stage of construction
- Sign the contract and register the transfer in your name at the Land Office
Registration fees, taxes and what to check before buying are in the guide to freehold and leasehold. Finished units you can move into are in the ready projects selection, projects under construction in presale. We confirm the tenure type and free quota of each project from documents as of the date of the sale.
What we do not know and what to check yourself
We reread the statutes on 19 October 2026 on the Council of State site (the text is marked as the current consolidated version): the 49% quota (Sec. 19 bis) and the 30-year lease cap (Sec. 540) remain in force, and we found no passed amendments. Open registers do not show the quota of a specific building: the condominium juristic person confirms it in a letter. We could not confirm from an official Land Department text which bank document a particular Land Office asks for today. Settle both questions before the deposit: with the building’s juristic person, the bank and a lawyer.
We recheck this page every 90 days and immediately when these laws change. If you need a lawyer to review the contract and title for your deal, write to us and we will find a vetted specialist.
FAQ
Do I need a visa or residence permit to buy a condo?
No. Section 19 of the Condominium Act lists several categories of foreigners, and a residence permit is needed in only one of them. Most buyers qualify under item 5: they brought the money in from abroad. The purchase itself does not give you a visa, see the answer on [whether property gives a visa](/en/questions/does-property-give-visa-thailand/).
What if foreigners already hold 49% of the building?
Then a freehold unit cannot be registered in your name: under Section 19 quater the Land Office registers a sale only if the quota is not exceeded after it. Open registers do not show a building's free quota. The condominium juristic person confirms it in a letter as of the date of the sale, so ask for that letter before you pay a deposit.
Which document proves the money came from abroad?
The law requires evidence at registration that you brought in foreign currency, or withdrew money from a non-resident baht account or a foreign currency account, for at least the price of the unit (Sec. 19 ter, item 5). We could not confirm from an official Land Department text which form of bank document a particular Land Office asks for today, so ask the receiving bank and a lawyer before you transfer. Name the specific unit in the payment reference.
What happens if I stop meeting the conditions of the law?
For example, the residence permit you relied on is revoked, or you inherit a unit above the quota. Under Section 19 quinquies you must notify the Land Office in writing within 60 days and sell the unit within one year, or for an inheritance above the quota only the part over the quota. If you do not sell, the Director-General of the Land Department sells it.
Can I buy a villa or land the same way as a condo?
No. A foreigner cannot normally acquire land (Land Code Sec. 86). The only exception in the code itself is Section 96 bis: an investment of THB 40 million or more for at least 3 years, up to 1 rai for a home, with the minister's permission; we have not checked how it is applied in practice. A lease of land under Section 540 of the Civil and Commercial Code is capped at 30 years, renewable for up to another 30. What you can do with a villa, and what the Thai-company structures risk, is covered in the guide to [freehold and leasehold](/en/property/guides/freehold-leasehold/).
Sources
- Condominium Act B.E. 2522, current text (Thai), Sec. 19, 19 bis, 19 ter, 19 quater, 19 quinquies, Office of the Council of State
- Land Code B.E. 2497, current text (Thai), Sec. 86, 87 and 96 bis, Office of the Council of State
- Civil and Commercial Code, current text (Thai), Sec. 538 and 540, Office of the Council of State
Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.