This page will provide you with some information on buying and owning property in Thailand. Thai laws are very different from Western ones. In fact, nothing is impossible in Thailand but you only need to find the right (legal) way to accomplish your dream. Thailand is home to many ex-pats from around the world and they have already realized their dream. One thing you cannot do without is certainly the help of a Thai lawyer. LHSTC is convinced that you can realize your dream in Thailand only with the help of a reliable well-known Thai lawyer who speaks English. If you have read information that is very incomplete, you will realize that you indeed need a person you can rely on. LHSTC is pleased to offer this service to you by recommending this Law Firm. A qualified lawyer will help you with all the necessary documents, starting from the first orientation meeting until the handover of the contracts for the house/land.

Building your own house according to your own tastes is quite possible in Thailand. LHSTC would even recommend doing so. Designing your own house means the fulfillment of your dreams. Construction in Thailand takes from four months for a basic one floor bungalow to one year for a complex villa. LHSTC is happy to offer you assistance at the stage of construction through the expertise of an English construction company well familiar with the Western standards. This company will regularly inspect your house during construction, take corrective action when required and, most importantly, be proactive. When it comes to finishing off the construction, the presence of an expert on site is of crucial importance. Thai builders are great at putting beautiful construction ideas to work in terms of design but are slightly less thorough on details which are not always visible after completion. LHSTC can help you avoid such problems and natural disappointment once the house is handed over.

Tips:
When making a down payment on unfinished project, protect your money from fraud by the Escrow account system which will ensure your money will not be paid, unless the developer completes construction of your new home and meets the agreed requirement on specification.

What are the conditions for foreigners to own property in Thailand?

• You are able to buy a Condominium in a registered complex where there are only 49% of the complex is owned by foreigners (51% of the Condominiums must be owned by Thai).
• You are able to buy and own a House on your name.
• You can not own Land as a Foreigner.
• You can long term lease Land and/or Buildings up to a max. of 90 years with the right of first Buyer in case of changes in Thai Law.
• You can start a Thai Company that can own Property (Land and Buildings) although Thai Law recently changed and is far stricter in starting or take over a Company. A Thai Company has 51% of the shares for 4 Thai people and 49% of the shares to 3 Foreigners. (1 mill. BHT company)
• You can buy and fully own 1 Rai of Land (1600m2) once you invested 40 million Baht in Thailand.

The “Title Deed” is the most single evidence an individual has legally on the right concerning the ownership of property he/she wants to sell or buy or lease. Title Deeds will only be given for property that has been checked by the government.
“Chanotte ti din” are Title Deeds been given for specially registered pieces of Land who are carefully checked and described as being a property. Only 10% of the Land has this type of Title.

Far most Title Deeds are named “Nor Sor Sam” or “Nor Sam Kor”. Title Deeds with these names are registered with the name of the owner and owners from history. These are the Title Deeds of interest for foreigners because these can be sold, bought or leased by foreigners. “Nor Sor Sam” and “Nor Sam Kor” are Title Deeds which can be registered in name for owning or leasing property.

Following Title Deeds are of no interest to foreigners:

• “Sor Bor Kor” is as “Chanott ti din” and is property carefully described but this Title Deed can not be transferred (sold/leased) from one to another person.
• Sor Kor Nung/Tor Bor Hoc and Tor Bor Tor Ha are Title Deeds which can not be transferred to others and no construction of any kind is permitted.

As stated before all official documents will be in Thai Language and it is therefore that we strongly recommend to see a Thai Lawyer completely familiar with this type of business and being fluent in Thai and English.