Guides for foreign buyers in Thailand — ownership, taxes, visas, Phuket areas, and the practical buying process.
Since 1 April, a cash withdrawal of ฿5m or more at a Thai bank branch has needed a stated purpose. A draft rule out for consultation until 3 September would extend the same test to cash deposits, banknote exchange and foreign notes from 15 October. What that changes for anyone paying or being paid in cash on a Phuket deal.
K-Research raised its 2026 forecast for foreign arrivals to Thailand from 30 million to 31.36 million on 14 August, days after the Ministry of Tourism reported 636,769 arrivals in a single week. What the revision rests on, and what it changes for Phuket rental owners.
Origin Property's own disclosed Phuket buyer mix — Russia dominant, China rare — is one company's snapshot, not an island-wide count. REIC's separate national Q1 2026 data independently shows Chinese demand retreating and Russian demand growing. The same weeks, Thailand tightened registration checks for specified company filings involving foreign investment or signing authority.
How to buy property in Phuket as a foreigner — areas, prices, ownership structures, lifestyle, and west coast vs east coast buying differences.
Every step of buying property in Thailand as a foreigner — due diligence, contracts, deposits, Land Office transfer, post-purchase admin.
Thailand's foreign ownership rules in 2026: condos, land, leasehold and companies. The 49% condo quota, and where nominee risk starts.
Freehold vs leasehold in Thailand: how each one works, what the Supreme Court now says about lease renewals, and which structure fits you.
Foreign ownership rules, freehold and leasehold, company structures, contracts.
12 guides
A registered 30-year lease in Thailand holds up in court; the promised renewal does not. What the Supreme Court voided, and what happens when the term ends.
Offshore companies cannot bypass Thai land law: condos, Thai companies, Board of Investment (BOI), Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT).
A Hong Kong or other foreign parent company can hold Thai property through a genuine Thai subsidiary that meets the Land Code's tests.
How BOI promotion intersects with Thai property — when it allows foreign land ownership, and why it rarely fits residential buyers.
Section 19 of the Condominium Act caps foreign-owned floor area at 49% per project. How it's calculated and what to do when a building hits the cap.
Foreigners ordinarily cannot own Thai land. Separate villa land title, building evidence, leases, superficies, other registered rights, and contract promises.
How reservation and contract deposits work under Thai law in 2026, when buyers get money back, and what clauses to insist on before signing.
How property escrow works in Thailand under the 2008 Escrow Act — when it's used, who provides it, law vs practice, and what foreign buyers should require.
Land Office transfer day takes 3–5 hours, with a 2% fee, documents, payments and power of attorney.
Off-plan vs resale in Thailand for foreign buyers — payment schedules, developer default risk, defect warranty, price gaps, which fits which buyer.
How Thailand's 2% property transfer fee works, who pays it, the 0.01% Thai-only 2025–2026 stimulus, and why foreigners pay the full rate.
Thailand's Land and Building Tax Act 2019 for foreign owners — rates, exemptions, the second-home band, why 2026 is the first full-rate year.
Thailand has no separate capital gains tax for individuals — Land Office withholding acts as the de facto CGT. How it works and differs for companies.
How Thai property ownership and bank accounts get reported abroad under CRS and FATCA, and what foreign owners should expect from Thai banks.
How Thailand taxes rental income for foreign owners — progressive rates, 30% standard deduction, PND.94 and PND.90 filings, WHT, VAT thresholds.
How branded-residence operator agreements work in Phuket, which brands run product on the island today, and how to verify any developer's track record.
How Phuket property prices moved over decades, what drove each phase, condo vs villa capital growth differentiation, and structural drivers and risks ahead.
Phuket condo vs villa for foreign investors — capital deployed, yield, appreciation, liquidity, regulatory exposure, and ownership complexity.
Off-plan investment risks in Phuket — developer default, completion delays, specification slip, foreign-quota timing, and how to mitigate each.
Phuket developer rental pool and guaranteed-yield programs — typical terms, how guarantees are funded, when they're traps and when they're fair.
Thailand LTR visa through property in 2026 — categories, USD 500k qualification, tax exemptions, vs Privilege, DTV, and retirement visas.
How Thai tax residency works for foreigners: the 180-day threshold, the 2024 rule change on money you bring into Thailand, and what it costs property owners.
Buying Thai property needs no special visa and grants no immigration status. Compare LTR, investment, DTV, retirement, family, business and PR routes.
Thailand DTV visa — 5-year multi-entry, 180 days per entry, THB 500k proof of funds, and how it fits property buyers and remote workers.
Thailand Privilege Visa (formerly Elite) for foreign property buyers — current tiers and costs, what you get, and how it compares to the LTR visa.
Mai Khao and Nai Yang property guide for foreign buyers — Sirinat-protected northern beaches, premium resort developments, who fits this quiet area.
Bang Tao and Cherngtalay property guide for foreign buyers — Boat Avenue, Laguna, Porto de Phuket, schools, branded residences, and trade-offs.
Kamala property guide for foreign buyers — beach, schools, rental dynamics, pricing, and where it fits between Patong and Surin on the west coast.
Kata and Karon property guide for foreign buyers — beaches, surf, condo and hillside villa market, Hotel Act enforcement risk, and who fits here.
Layan Beach property guide for foreign buyers — quieter than Bang Tao, concentrated premium villas, structurally constrained supply.
Thailand long-term rental contracts for foreign owners — standard terms, deposit, landlord and tenant duties, eviction, drafting a defensible lease.
Phuket property management fees — short-term and long-term rental, what's included vs extra, villa vs condo cost, how to evaluate operators.
How the Hotel Act 2004 treats Airbnb and daily rentals in Thailand, what's legal in 2026, and the Phuket enforcement that ended the grey zone.
Is Airbnb legal in Thailand? Hotel Act 2004 framework, current Phuket enforcement, and legal alternatives for short-stay rental.
A step-by-step guide to connecting a Beds24 channel manager so your availability, calendar and bookings stay in sync across every booking platform at once.
Thailand's Condominium Act of 1979: how Section 19/2 sets the 49% foreign-ownership quota and how juristic persons manage registered condos.
Thailand's Foreign Business Act 1999 explained — restricted activities, the 49% foreign-shareholding rule, and how it affects property structures.
Chanote is Thailand's only fully-surveyed, transferable land title. How to read it, why it matters for foreign buyers, and how weaker titles compare.
The FET form (formerly Tor Tor 3) explained — what it is, why it's required for foreign condo registration in Thailand, and how to obtain one.
Nor Sor 3 Gor (น.ส. 3 ก.) explained — what this Thai land title means, how it differs from Chanote, when it's acceptable for foreign buyers.
