Foreigners can own a condo in Bangkok — but only within strict rules, and the legal ground shifted in 2025. Here's the honest picture: what you can and can't own, the prices and closing costs, the leasehold ruling and nominee crackdown to know about, and why renting often wins on the numbers. Always use a lawyer — this is general information, not legal advice.
Foreigners can own a condo freehold, provided the unit falls within the building's 49% foreign-ownership quota (the other 51% must be Thai-owned). Foreigners cannot own land, so a house is bought on a 30-year leasehold rather than freehold. This is the single most important rule to get right, and it's exactly the kind of thing to verify with a lawyer before you commit — not from this page.
The March 2025 Supreme Court ruling voided "90-year" and auto-renewal leases beyond 30 years, so structures promising 30+30+30 may not hold — treat the legal maximum as 30 years. Separately, a nominee-company crackdown has flagged 46,000+ entities, with land-confiscation risk for foreigners who used a Thai company as a workaround to hold land. Both make professional legal advice essential; nothing here is legal advice.
Central condo prices run roughly ฿150,000–250,000/sqm, rising to ฿180,000–450,000+/sqm in Thonglor and prime Sathorn. In whole-unit terms, a typical central 1-bed is ฿5–8M and a 2-bed ฿10–15M. Off-plan and resale, and the building's age and brand, move these meaningfully.
| Segment | Price |
|---|---|
| Central condo | ฿150,000–250,000/sqm |
| Thonglor / prime Sathorn | ฿180,000–450,000+/sqm |
| Typical central 1-bed | ฿5–8M |
| Typical central 2-bed | ฿10–15M |
For a foreign-quota condo, the money must be transferred from abroad in foreign currency and documented on an FET form (Foreign Exchange Transaction) — this is what proves the funds came from overseas and is required to register foreign ownership. On fees, the transfer fee is 2% (a temporary 2025 reduction — verify it still applies), and total closing costs run roughly 3–7%. Expect a one-off sinking fund of ฿10,000–20,000 and an ongoing common-area fee of ฿3,000–5,000/month.
The numbers favour caution. Net rental yields run roughly 1.5–3% and prices have been broadly flat, which means renting is often the smarter move — you stay mobile, avoid transaction costs and the foreign-quota hassle, and aren't exposed to a flat capital market. Run the comparison in our renting guide and the wider cost-of-living picture before deciding.
Engage an independent Thai property lawyer (not the developer's), confirm the unit's place in the 49% foreign quota, verify the current transfer-fee reduction and closing costs, and check the title and any lease structure against the 2025 ruling. Foreign ownership, leasehold and the nominee rules are things to verify with a professional — this guide is information only, not legal advice.
A foreigner can own a condo freehold if the unit falls within the building's 49% foreign-ownership quota, but cannot own land — a house is held on a 30-year leasehold instead. Always use an independent Thai lawyer; this is general information, not legal advice.
The March 2025 Supreme Court ruling voided '90-year' and auto-renewal leases beyond 30 years, so treat 30 years as the legal maximum. Separately, a nominee-company crackdown flagged 46,000+ entities with land-confiscation risk for foreigners who used a Thai company to hold land. Get legal advice before relying on any structure.
Central condo prices run roughly ฿150,000–250,000/sqm, rising to ฿180,000–450,000+/sqm in Thonglor and prime Sathorn. A typical central 1-bed is ฿5–8M and a 2-bed ฿10–15M, varying with the building's age, brand and off-plan vs resale status.
The transfer fee is 2% (a temporary 2025 reduction — verify it still applies), with total closing costs roughly 3–7%. Expect a one-off sinking fund of ฿10,000–20,000 and an ongoing common-area fee of ฿3,000–5,000 a month. Funds must come from abroad and be documented on an FET form.