The 49% Foreign Quota: How to Check It Before You Pay a Deposit

In any registered condominium in Thailand, units owned by foreigners can add up to no more than 49% of the building's saleable floor area. It is a share of square metres, not of units: one large penthouse uses more quota than three studios.

A unit inside the foreign quota can be registered in your name as freehold. A unit inside the Thai quota cannot; a foreigner can only lease it.

Why it matters for the price

In popular buildings near the beach in Jomtien, Wongamat and Pratamnak the foreign quota sells first. Developers know it and often price foreign-quota units higher or ask for a larger share of the price before completion.

The difference is visible in the payment plans of projects we work with:

• Aquarous, Jomtien: Thai quota pays 20% at contract, 15% in instalments and 65% at handover; foreign quota pays 30%, 20% and 50%.
• Skypark Lucean, Jomtien: Thai quota 20% / 20% / 60%; foreign quota 30% / 30% / 40%.

Why it matters when you sell

If you sell your unit to another foreigner, it stays in the foreign quota and nothing changes. If you sell to a Thai buyer, the unit moves into the Thai quota. In a building where the foreign quota is full, a foreign-owned unit is often easier to resell to the next foreign buyer, because it is one of the few that can be registered in a foreigner's name.

How to check the quota

1. Resale unit. Ask the building's juristic person (the management office) for a letter with the current foreign ownership percentage. The Land Office will ask for a similar letter at transfer.
2. New project. The reservation agreement should state that the unit is sold under the foreign quota. If it does not, ask for it before you pay.
3. At transfer. The Land Office checks the quota again. If the building has filled up in the meantime, the unit cannot be registered in your name.

If the foreign quota is full

There are two clean options: choose another unit or another building, or lease a Thai-quota unit for up to 30 years. Buying through a Thai company set up only to own a condo is a nominee structure and is illegal.

The money has to come from abroad

A foreign-quota purchase must be paid with money transferred from outside Thailand in foreign currency. For each transfer of USD 50,000 or more the receiving Thai bank issues a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form; smaller transfers get a credit advice. The name on these documents must match the buyer's passport, and the payment purpose should mention the purchase of a condominium unit. Thai baht converted before sending does not count.

Will the quota rise to 75%?

Raising the quota to 75% has been discussed since 2024. As of October 2026 it has not become law, so plan around 49%. The wider picture is in what foreigners can own in Thailand.

We confirm the quota in writing for every unit we offer. See condos for sale or ask for a shortlist.