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Can foreigners buy land or a house in Rayong? What the law actually allows

Rayong Realty · Updated 2026-09-08

ชาวต่างชาติไม่สามารถถือครองที่ดินในประเทศไทยได้ แต่สามารถซื้อคอนโด (โควตาต่างชาติ 49%) เช่าที่ดินระยะยาว 30 ปี เป็นเจ้าของบ้านบนที่ดินเช่า หรือซื้อผ่านคู่สมรสชาวไทยได้

Rayong sits on the Eastern Seaboard, an hour from Pattaya and two from Bangkok's airport, with large Japanese, Chinese, European and American workforces at the industrial estates. Plenty of foreigners want a home here. The law is stricter than in many countries, but there are four legitimate ways in.

The rule: land, no. Buildings and condos, yes.

Under the Land Code a foreign national cannot own land in Thailand. That single rule shapes everything else. Buildings are treated separately from the land they stand on, and condominium units are covered by their own law. So:

Option 1 — Buy a condominium (freehold)

Foreigners can own a condo unit outright, with their name on the Chanote, as long as foreigners hold no more than 49% of the total floor area in that building. The money must come from abroad in foreign currency, and the receiving bank issues a Foreign Exchange Transaction form that the Land Office needs at transfer. Rayong has condo supply in Mueang Rayong, Ban Chang and along the coast at Mae Phim.

Option 2 — Lease the land, own the house

A lease of up to 30 years can be registered on the back of the land's Chanote at the Land Office, which makes it enforceable against any future owner. The house on that land can be registered in the foreigner's own name. Renewal clauses for a second 30 years are common but are a contract promise, not a registered right, so price the property on the first term. This is the most common route for detached houses and for beach-side land such as our plots at Mae Ramphueng.

Option 3 — Buy with a Thai spouse

A Thai citizen married to a foreigner can buy land in their own name. The Land Office will ask both spouses to sign a declaration that the funds are the Thai spouse's separate property, which means the land is legally theirs alone. Many couples pair this with a registered lease or usufruct in the foreign spouse's favour for security.

Option 4 — Investment route (rare)

A foreigner who invests at least 40 million baht in approved Thai assets can apply to own up to 1 rai of residential land, with ministerial approval. It exists, but very few buyers use it.

What to avoid

Practical steps for a foreign buyer in Rayong

1. Decide the structure first (condo, lease + house, or spouse) — it changes which properties make sense.
2. Check the title deed exactly as a Thai buyer would: see our title-deed guide.
3. Bring the money in from abroad through a Thai bank and keep the paperwork.
4. Have the lease or sale contract in Thai and English, and register it at the Land Office on the day of transfer.
5. Budget for transfer costs — see what the Land Office charges.

Common questions

Can a foreigner own a house in Thailand?

Yes. The building can be registered in a foreigner's name; only the land underneath cannot. In practice the foreigner leases the land for 30 years and owns the house on it.

Is a 30-year lease safe?

A lease registered at the Land Office on the Chanote is a legal right that survives a sale of the land to someone else. Unregistered leases over three years are not enforceable, so always register it.

Can I get a Thai mortgage as a foreigner?

Some Thai banks lend to foreigners for condominiums, usually with a work permit and a larger deposit. Loans for leased land are rare. Most foreign buyers in Rayong pay cash or borrow at home.

More guides

Last updated 2026-09-08. This guide is general information for buyers in Rayong, not legal or tax advice. Rates and rules change; we confirm the current figures at the Land Office for every sale.