Owning a piece of Thailand

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Foreign property ownership rights have been a contentious issue for decades, with authorities seeking to attract investment but also avoid exploitation

Published: 4/09/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

One of the most frequently asked questions about property from expatriates in Thailand is why the Land of Smiles welcomes visitors from around the globe with open arms but does not allow them to own property. Is this really xenophobia?

Land ownership conditions have changed throughout history. The first land act that limited foreigners - which in that period meant only Westerners or Caucasians - from owning land in the Kingdom of Thailand originated during the era of King Rama IV.

The announcement related to land sales and rentals to outsiders specified only Westerners or farangs, not, for example, Laotians, Khmer, Mon, Burmese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indians.

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About the author

: Writer: Kanana Katharangsiporn; Position: Business Reporter

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Your comments

Krid

Discussion 13 : 13/09/2010 at 07:04 PM13
Excellent article, thanks for this comprehensive overview.
Regarding the 40 million Baht BoI sponsored investment that allows land ownership of up to one rai in certain regions (Bangkok, Pattaya). This is subject to approval by the Interior Ministry, much like the 100% company ownership in unrestricted areas of business.
Has anyone ever heard of this permission given? I.e. is there currently a single foreigner in Thailand who owns a rai of land or less in his or her name based on this rule? Thanks.
Albert Park

Discussion 12 : 07/09/2010 at 12:21 AM12
Leaving aside the complaints, the historical interpretations of Somkiat Worapunyaanun, lecturer at the faculty of law, Thammasat University, are not based on historical research. They are his suppositions. What were the facts?

For the foreigners complaining, read Hello magazine in Thailand. You'll find that some well-connected foreigners seems to have large houses, cars and all the rest....
mike

Discussion 11 : 06/09/2010 at 09:33 AM11
If a Thai man were to married a foreign women, he would not be able to buy land in his own name anymore. Whereas if a foreign men marries a thai women, the thai women would still be able to buy land in her name. Such stupid laws in Thailand.
UK MAn

Discussion 10 : 04/09/2010 at 10:06 PM10
an ex-prime minster had land/house and a football team (manchester city), in England. also i am lead to understand a lot to rich Thai foreigners come to the UK and buy houses without problems,and these people say I cannot buy a house in Thailand. Maybe Thailand does not mean `land of the free`. "Do as i say not as i do?" springs to mind.
rako

Discussion 9 : 04/09/2010 at 06:43 PM9
I am married with a thai woman and i have a son who is thai.
This land law is just the tip of the iceberg. I stay more then 5 years here.
But now i can not anymore.
We foreigners cannot own anything (car,motorbike,land..). And then these ridiculous visa laws. Even when you are married and have a child you cannot extend the visa inside thailand. Instead you must travel around the world to renew your visa.
ELON

Discussion 8 : 04/09/2010 at 05:55 PM8
for the sake of the family, I won't mind not having owned any property in Thailand under my name as a foreign legitimate spouse to my Thai wife. But since my children are Thai citizens and can own land/properties here in this beautiful country, ownership becomes an irrelevant issue for me. In fact, my wife purchased our house as her own personal asset and not conjugal property. What really matter most for me is to acquire a status -LANDLESS CITIZEN. After having stayed here for almost 30 years, Thailand has emerged to be my first home and family.

WISHING THAILAND PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR THE YEARS TO COME.
Conclusion

Discussion 7 : 04/09/2010 at 04:48 PM7
Thanks for the interesting history lesson and summary of existing legislation, but the article doesn't answer the question in the opening paragraph. Are the Thai land and property laws xenophobic?

Perhaps this is because the short answer is "Yes"? In many countries the people would be embarrassed by such a situation, but most Thais aren't in my experience.
Ballu

Discussion 6 : 04/09/2010 at 12:37 PM6
Thailand is full of it and doesn't fool anybody with the sweet talking. They want the butter and the money from the butter. This all chapter only shows how complicated and difficult it is for the Thais to accept a non Thai, so they create all kinds of rules and regulations,not really a welcome and friendly sign They can say all they want,they don't like us,only our money for nothing.
Tom Larner

Discussion 5 : 04/09/2010 at 10:32 AM5
Thais love to prattle on about how the evil farangs will buy all the land because we are (born?) rich and poor Thais will not be able to compete.
Poor Thais will NEVER own any land! This is reserved for the rich and "influential" Thais and it is they who don't want the competition.
You wrote a long history that boils down to "we're happy to take your money, then you should go away".
Nathan

Discussion 4 : 04/09/2010 at 09:32 AM4
The fact that I can have lived here for 10 years, work, pay taxes, and support a Thai family and yet the Thai government still refuses to allow me to purchase land and a house in my name can mean only one thing. The Thais are indeed xenophobic. I could live here 30 years and they will never accept me as one of them. On the other hand, they can move to the US and within a couple years be integrated into society, own endless amounts of land and businesses and generally, be accepted. Don't let the smile fool you.

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