Rai, Ngan and Square Wah: Land and Condo Area in Thailand

Short answer: land in Thailand is measured in rai, ngan and square wah. 1 square wah is 4 sq.m., 1 ngan is 400 sq.m., and 1 rai is 1 600 sq.m. Condos are sold in square metres, and the area on the title usually includes the balcony.

A listing that says “1-2-50” or “80 sq.wah” confuses most foreign buyers. Thailand uses its own land units, and they turn up in every listing, on every title deed and in land prices. Here is how they work, how to convert them, and what the square metres of a condo actually include.

1. The three land units

The base unit is the wah, an old length unit of 2 metres. A square wah is therefore 2 × 2 m. The two larger units are built from it.

So 1 rai = 4 ngan = 400 square wah = 1 600 sq.m. For a sense of scale, 1 rai is about 0.16 hectare or 0.4 acre, a little more than a third of a football pitch.

2. How to read “1-2-50”

Title deeds and listings write land area as three numbers: rai, ngan and square wah, in that order. To convert, multiply and add:

• 1-2-50 = 1 rai + 2 ngan + 50 square wah = 1 600 + 800 + 200 = 2 600 sq.m.
• 0-1-0 = 1 ngan = 400 sq.m.
• 0-0-80 = 80 square wah = 320 sq.m.

A plot in a Pattaya villa estate is often 50–100 square wah, which is 200–400 sq.m.

3. Land prices are quoted per square wah

Land is priced per square wah, not per square metre. To compare it with a price per sq.m., divide by four.

Example. Land at ฿40 000 per square wah costs ฿10 000 per sq.m. A plot of 80 square wah at that price is ฿3 200 000.

4. What the square metres of a condo include

Condos are not measured in wah. They are sold in square metres, and the figure that counts is the one on the unit title deed, the Or.Chor.2.

• Included: the rooms, the balcony, and usually the air-conditioner ledge and any storage room that belongs to the unit.
• Not included: structural columns and common areas. Your share of the common property is shown separately on the deed.

Listings sometimes quote a larger, gross figure. The usable interior can be noticeably smaller than the number in the advert, especially when the balcony is large. Ask for a floor plan with dimensions and check how big the balcony is.

5. Why the exact area matters

• Price per sq.m. is the fairest way to compare two condos. Use the area from the title deed or the sale contract for both.
• Monthly maintenance is charged per sq.m. of that same area, and so is the one-time sinking fund in a new building.
• The foreign quota is counted in square metres too: foreigners together may own up to 49% of the total unit area of a building.

How maintenance and the sinking fund add up is shown in what extra costs to expect when buying a condo in Pattaya, and how to check the quota in our guide to the 49% foreign quota.

6. Check the area against the title deed

For land, the deed is the source of truth, not the listing. A Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor) has boundaries surveyed and fixed with GPS markers, so its area is reliable. A Nor Sor 3 Gor is measured against neighbouring plots and its boundaries can be less exact. If the area or boundaries are in doubt, the Land Office can carry out a new survey before you buy.

For a condo, compare three figures: the listing, the sale contract and the Or.Chor.2. They should match, and the contract should state the area from the deed.

Quick conversion table

Looking for a house or a condo in Pattaya? Answer four questions and get a shortlist, or write to us and we will check the area and the deed of a specific property.