Home › Guides › Land-buying checklist
Buying land in Rayong: a 10-point checklist before you pay a deposit
10 ข้อควรตรวจสอบก่อนวางมัดจำซื้อที่ดินในระยอง: เอกสารสิทธิ์ หลักหมุด ทางเข้าออก ผังเมืองและ EEC น้ำท่วม ไฟฟ้า-ประปา ประวัติผู้ขาย ภาระผูกพัน ราคาต่อตารางวา และสัญญาจะซื้อจะขาย
Land is the simplest thing to buy in Rayong and the easiest thing to buy badly. A house can be inspected; a plot's problems are mostly on paper or under the surface. These are the ten checks we run before a plot is listed, in the order we do them.
1. The title deed
Chanote or Nor Sor 3 Gor only. Get a certified copy from the Land Office and match it to the seller's. Read the back page for mortgages, leases and servitudes. Full guide to Thai title deeds.
2. The boundary posts
Find every numbered concrete post on the deed's survey sketch and confirm the neighbours' fences respect them. Missing posts are common on older plots; a Land Office re-survey fixes it and the seller should pay for it.
3. Road access
Does the plot touch a public road (ถนนสาธารณะ), or does it rely on a lane owned by someone else? Public frontage is worth paying more for: it cannot be closed, it allows a building permit without extra paperwork, and it is what buyers will want when you sell. If access is private, a right of way must be registered on the deed, not promised.
4. Zoning: the Rayong city plan and the EEC
Rayong is one of the three provinces in the Eastern Economic Corridor, and its land-use plan colours every plot: yellow and orange for residential, red for commercial, purple for industrial, green for agricultural and conservation. Agricultural-zoned land can still usually take a single house, but not a subdivision or a shop. The EEC plan also sets aside land near the estates and the high-speed rail line. Check the colour at the provincial Public Works office (โยธาธิการและผังเมือง) before assuming you can build.
5. Flooding and drainage
Ask neighbours about the 2011 and 2022 rainy seasons, look at the level of the plot against the road, and note any canal (klong) at the boundary. A plot below road level needs fill, which costs real money at Rayong's current prices. Coastal plots near Mae Ramphueng and Ban Phe should be checked for the coastal setback rules on construction.
6. Electricity and water
Is there a PEA pole at the boundary, or 300 metres away? Is there provincial water (ประปา) or will you need a well? Both are solvable, but the cost belongs in the price.
7. The seller and the history
Match the seller's ID card to the name on the deed. If there are several owners, all must sign. Ask how long they have owned it: under five years triggers 3.3% specific business tax at transfer, which usually becomes a negotiation. See the fees guide.
8. Encumbrances
An outstanding mortgage on the back page must be redeemed at the same Land Office appointment as the transfer, with the bank present. Leases and servitudes stay with the land after you buy it.
9. Price per square wa
Rayong land is quoted per sq.wa for plots under a rai and per rai above. Compare with the Land Office appraised value (the floor) and with recent sales on the same road, not with asking prices online. In September 2026, town-edge residential land near Taphong sells around ฿10,000 per sq.wa; plots inside Mueang Rayong and near the beach go higher, and agricultural land further inland much lower.
10. The contract and the deposit
Use a written sale-and-purchase agreement (สัญญาจะซื้อจะขาย) that names the deed number, the price, the transfer date, who pays each fee, and what happens to the deposit if the title check fails. A deposit of 5–10% is normal. Pay it only after steps 1 to 8 are done.
Common questions
How much deposit is normal when buying land in Thailand?
Five to ten percent of the price, paid when the sale-and-purchase agreement is signed, with the balance at the Land Office on transfer day. The agreement should say the deposit is refunded if the title check fails.
Can I build a house on agricultural-zoned land in Rayong?
Usually yes for a single family house, but not for a housing project, a factory or most commercial uses. Confirm the zone colour at the provincial Public Works and Town Planning office before you buy.
How long does a land transfer take in Rayong?
For a Chanote with no mortgage, one appointment at the Land Office — usually two to three hours. A Nor Sor 3 needs a 30-day public notice first.
Ask us before you buy
We check title deeds, access roads and transfer costs for every property we sell in Rayong. Free, no obligation — English or Thai. ปรึกษาฟรี ทั้งภาษาไทยและอังกฤษ
More guides
The four kinds of Thai land document you will meet in Rayong — Chanote, Nor Sor 3 Gor, Nor Sor 3 and Sor Kor 1 / Por Bor Tor 5 — what each o…Can foreigners buy land or a house in Rayong? What the law actually allows
Foreigners cannot own land in Thailand, but they can own a condo, lease land for 30 years, own the house on leased land, or buy with a Thai …Transfer fees and taxes when buying property in Thailand (2026 rates)
The four Land Office charges — 2% transfer fee (0.01% for eligible Thai buyers until 30 June 2027), specific business tax or stamp duty, wit…