Can foreigners own land in Thailand if they meet certain financial conditions?

DTV for 5 years multiple ( good enough ) for 180 days . Then again after one day

Shane Beary . . yes, you can. But it depends

I find the need to stop all these speculations in this group, and all those categorical “No It is not possible”. You who said this are WRONG!

YES, A FOREIGNER CAN OWN LAND IN THAILAND

BUT here comes the big elephant in the room:

A foreigner can own 1 rai of land, but not in their own personal name directly. Land ownership is heavily restricted, but there are two main avenues depending on whether you want the land for personal or business use.

1. For Business Use:

BOI-Promoted Company Route If your 1 rai of land is strictly required for your Board of Investment (BOI) approved business activity, your majority-foreign-owned company can legally purchase and own the land.

The Process: The BOI grants special permission to own land for industrial, hotel, or office purposes under the investment promotion guidelines.

Next Steps: You must apply for land ownership permission directly through the Thailand Board of Investment once your business project is approved.

2. For Personal Use:

Personal Investment Route

If the 1 rai is for a personal residence, you can apply for private land ownership under Section 96 bis of the Thai Land Code. However, the barrier to entry is extremely high.

The Requirement: You must invest a minimum of ฿40 million (approx. $1.15M USD) in Thai government bonds, BOI-promoted company shares, or real estate investment trusts.

Restrictions: The land must be in Bangkok, Pattaya, or designated municipal/residential zones. You must hold this investment for at least 3 years, and this land cannot be inherited—it is strictly limited to your lifetime.

Authorization: You must be approved by the Minister of the Interior.

Common Alternatives

Because the personal ownership route is highly restrictive and heavily scrutinized, most foreigners opt for one of the following alternatives:

Long-term Leaseholds: You can legally lease land for up to 30 years (with renewable options).

BOI LTR Visas: If you qualify for a BOI Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa, it makes navigating investment incentives easier, though the ฿40 million investment rule largely still applies for freehold

The Direct Ownership Route (Section 96 bis)

The Law: Under the Land Code Amendment Act, qualifying affluent foreigners can legally own up to \(1\) \(rai\) of land for residential purposes.

Requirements: You must invest at least THB 40 million (approx. $1.2 million USD) in approved, economy-benefiting Thai assets or government bonds and hold the investment for a minimum of 3 years.

Practicality: While legal on paper, the process is difficult, requires approval directly from the Minister of the Interior, and the ownership is not transferable by inheritance

Shane Beary contact Ben at

@Integrity ******

as he's talks abouth this all the time. Look at his UTUBE Channel

Feel sorry , Dont you read the conditions ? DTV - no. If you want to settle there as retired person - you possibly can .

It’s complicated.

A foreigner can control (and thus own) land and buildings in several ways.

Thai registered company.

Long term lease.

Surfices contract.

Usufruct contract.

Speak to a western trained Thai lawyer to get the details and limitations.

That’s not correct. As a foreigner, you can’t own land. A Thai-registered company you’re a shareholder in may own land, but there are strict rules and ongoing crackdowns mean many setups aren’t fully legitimate.

Not correct.