Important. This page explains the law as of 17 October 2026 and is not legal advice.
If someone told you foreigners can now buy up to 75% of a Thai condo building or lease land for 99 years, you are not alone: both figures have circulated since 2024 and still appear in project marketing. Neither is law.
Where 75% and 99 years came from
In 2024 media reported that the government was studying two steps to attract foreign capital: lifting the foreign condo quota from 49% to 75% and extending leases to 99 years. We know of a Cabinet instruction to study the quota only from media reports and found no official bill.
On 99 years, the only official text we found is a draft amendment to the Sap Ing Sith (right of use) law, allowing terms of up to 99 years for property of state agencies only. According to law.go.th, the public consultation ran from 22 August to 5 September 2025. It does not change ordinary land leases for villas.
What applies in October 2026
| What was discussed | What applies | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| 75% foreign quota | 49% of total unit area | Condominium Act, s. 19 bis |
| 99-year lease | up to 30 years, renewal up to 30 years | Civil and Commercial Code, s. 540 |
| 30+30+30 lease | only the first registered 30 years are secured | CCC, s. 538, 540 |
| 50-year lease | 30 to 50 years for commerce and industry only | 1999 act (B.E. 2542) |
| 99-year Sap Ing Sith | draft, state property only | law.go.th consultation, 2025 |
More on each rule, plus superficies and usufruct, in our freehold and leasehold guide.
What to do instead of waiting for reform
- Work with current rules. Freehold condos are open to foreigners within the 49% quota, confirmed per project by the juristic person
- For a villa, value 30 years of lease, and treat renewals as a promise, not an asset
- Register the lease at the Land Office: an unregistered lease over 3 years is enforceable for only 3 years (CCC, s. 538)
- Do not pay extra for “99 years” or “75%”: if the price assumes rules that are not law, the risk is yours
Browse presale projects and condos under 5M THB. Tenure and free quota are confirmed per project.
This page is reviewed every 60 days and whenever these laws change.
FAQ
Has Thailand raised the foreign condo quota to 75%?
No. The idea has been discussed since 2024, but the current Condominium Act still says 49% of unit area (s. 19 bis). We found no bill amending the quota on the official law.go.th or ocs.go.th portals.
Can I sign a 99-year lease in Thailand?
Not as a registered ordinary lease. Section 540 of the Civil and Commercial Code caps leases of immovable property at 30 years and cuts any longer term down to 30. A renewal can add up to 30 years from the date of renewal. The only official 99-year text we found is a draft amendment to the Sap Ing Sith (right of use) law covering state-owned property, not ordinary leases.
Is a 30+30+30 lease the same as 90 years?
No. Only the first 30 years are secured, and only if the lease is registered at the Land Office. Later renewals are the landowner's promise, not a statutory term. Law firms cite a Supreme Court ruling that voided pre-agreed renewals beyond 30 years; we have not checked the ruling's text.
Can I buy a unit now in case the quota rises?
No. The Land Office registers a sale to a foreigner only if the building's 49% quota is not exceeded afterwards (Condominium Act, s. 19 quater). Each project's free quota is confirmed by the condo juristic person on the day of transfer.
Sources
- Condominium Act B.E. 2522, current version (Thai text), Office of the Council of State
- Civil and Commercial Code, current version (Thai text), Office of the Council of State
- Act on Lease of Immovable Property for Commerce and Industry B.E. 2542 (Thai text)
- Law.go.th. Public consultation on the draft Sap Ing Sith Act amendment (99 years)
- Bektu. Thailand 99-Year Lease Not Law: 30-Year Limit Still Applies (10.06.2026), secondary review
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