Reviewed by Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556, for ThaiLawOnline, a Thai law firm acting for foreigners since 2006.
Update log
- 4 November 2026: Added the statute box with Thai, English and French text and checked the page against the official text
Short answer: an independent check of the unit costs 4,900 THB for the deed alone or 19,900 THB for full due diligence and contract review, and neither replaces your agent. When buying a condo through an agent in Thailand, the one thing to understand is that the agent is paid by the seller when the transfer completes, so “everything is fine, no lawyer needed” is an opinion from the one person in the room who loses money if you walk away.
Table of Contents
What a good agent does, and does well
A good agent earns the commission. The agent knows which buildings hold their value, which juristic persons are run properly and which sellers will move on price. The agent finds the unit, arranges the viewings, negotiates the price and the furniture list, chases the seller for documents and books the Land Office appointment. A buyer who speaks no Thai would struggle to do any of that alone. None of what follows is a reason to work without an agent.
It is a reason to know where the agent’s job ends. The commission, usually 3% of the price, is paid by the seller and only on completion. Thailand has no licensing regime for property agents, no duty of care to the buyer is written into any statute, and the agent has no reason to find a problem that stops the sale. That is not dishonesty. It is the structure of the deal, and you should plan around it.
The law behind this page
English
Section 845
Full text
A person who agrees to pay commission to a broker for indicating an opportunity to enter into a contract, or for arranging the conclusion of a contract, is liable to pay the commission only when the contract has been concluded as a result of the broker's indication or arrangement. If the contract concluded is subject to a condition precedent, the broker's commission cannot be claimed until the condition has been fulfilled. The broker is entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred only if this has been so agreed. This applies even if the contract is not concluded.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 849
Full text
A broker is presumed not to have authority to receive, on behalf of a contracting party, money or any other performance due under the contract.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 847
Full text
If a broker, in breach of the duty he has undertaken, also acts for a third person, or receives a promise from such third person of a commission that is improper for a broker acting in good faith, the broker is not entitled to commission or to reimbursement of expenses incurred.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 19 bis Condominium Act B.E. 2522
Full text
In each condominium, the units held in ownership by the aliens or juristic persons specified in section 19 must not, taken together, exceed 49 percent of the area of all the units in that condominium at the time the application to register the condominium under section 6 is made.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 19 ter Condominium Act B.E. 2522
Full text
On a transfer of ownership of a condominium unit to an alien or juristic person specified in section 19, the applicant for the transfer shall notify the competent official of the names of the aliens or juristic persons specified in section 19, together with the proportion of unit area that those aliens or juristic persons already hold in ownership, and the alien or juristic person applying to receive the transfer shall also produce the following evidence to the competent official: (1) an alien specified in section 19 (1) must produce evidence of having been permitted to reside in the Kingdom under the law on immigration; (2) an alien specified in section 19 (2) must produce evidence of having been permitted to enter the Kingdom under the law on investment promotion; (3) a juristic person specified in section 19 (3) must produce evidence of registration as a juristic person under Thai law; (4) a juristic person specified in section 19 (4) must produce evidence of having received an investment promotion certificate under the law on investment promotion; (5) an alien or juristic person under section 19 (5) must produce evidence of bringing foreign currency into the Kingdom, or evidence of withdrawing money from a baht account of a person residing outside the country or from a foreign currency deposit account, in an amount not less than the price of the unit to be purchased.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 29 Condominium Act B.E. 2522
Full text
A person wishing to register rights and juristic acts concerning a condominium unit under this Act shall bring the condominium unit title deed for registration with the competent official. Where registration of rights and juristic acts transferring ownership of a condominium unit is applied for, the competent official may accept the registration only when the unit is free of debts arising from the expenses under section 18, and a most recent certificate of debt clearance from the condominium juristic person must be produced. The manager must issue the certificate of debt clearance under paragraph 2 to the co-owner within 15 days from the date of receiving the request and the co-owner having paid the debts arising from the expenses under section 18 in full. Paragraph 2 does not apply to registration of rights and juristic acts transferring ownership of a condominium unit before the condominium juristic person is registered.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 6/2 Condominium Act B.E. 2522
Full text
A contract to sell or a contract of sale of a condominium unit between the owner of the land and building under section 6 and the prospective buyer or buyer of the condominium unit shall be made in the form of contract prescribed by the Minister by notification. Any part of a contract to sell or contract of sale of a condominium unit under paragraph one that is not made in the form of contract prescribed by the Minister by notification and is not favourable to the prospective buyer or buyer of the condominium unit shall have no effect.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 569
Full text
A contract of hire of immovable property is not extinguished by the transfer of ownership of the property hired. The transferee is entitled to the rights and is subject to the duties of the transferor towards the hirer.
ThaiLawOnline translation
āđāļāļĒ
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 845
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļđāđāđāļāļāļāļĨāļāļāļ°āđāļŦāđāļāđāļēāļāļģāđāļŦāļāđāļāđāļāđāļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāđāļāļ·āđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļĩāđāļāđāļāļāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāđāļāđāļēāļāļģāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāđāļāļĩ āļāļąāļāļāļēāļĢāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļāļģāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļąāļāļāđāļāļĩ āļāđāļēāļāļ§āđāļēāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļđāđāļāļąāđāļāļāļ°āļāđāļāļāļĢāļąāļāļāļīāļāđāļāđāļāđāļēāļāļģāđāļŦāļāđāļāļāđāļāđāļāđāļĄāļ·āđāļāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļąāđāļāđāļāđāļāļģāļāļąāļāļŠāļģāđāļĢāđāļāđāļāļ·āđāļāļāđāļāđāļāļĨāđāļŦāđāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļĩāđāļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāđāļāđāļāļĩāđāļāđāļāļāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļąāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļąāđāļ āļāđāļēāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļĩāđāđāļāđāļāļģāļāļąāļāđāļ§āđāļāļąāđāļāļĄāļĩāđāļāļ·āđāļāļāđāļāđāļāđāļāđāļāļ·āđāļāļāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāļāđāļāļāđāļāļĢāđ āļāđāļēāļāļ§āđāļēāļāļ°āđāļĢāļĩāļĒāļāļĢāđāļāļāļāļģāđāļŦāļāđāļāļāđāļēāļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāļĒāļąāļāļŦāļēāđāļāđāđāļĄāđ āļāļāļāļ§āđāļēāđāļāļ·āđāļāļāđāļāļāļąāđāļāļŠāļģāđāļĢāđāļāđāļĨāđāļ§āļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāļĄāļĩāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāļāļ°āđāļāđāļĢāļąāļāļāļāđāļāđāļāđāļēāđāļāđāļāđāļēāļĒāļāļĩāđāđāļāđāđāļŠāļĩāļĒāđāļāļāđāļāđāļāđāļĄāļ·āđāļāđāļāđāļāļāļĨāļāļāļąāļāđāļ§āđāđāļāđāļāļāļąāđāļ āļāļ§āļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļĩāđāļāđāļēāļāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāđāļĄāđāļāļķāļāļ§āđāļēāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļ°āļĄāļīāđāļāđāļāļģāļāļąāļāļŠāļģāđāļĢāđāļ
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļēāļāļĢāđāļāļĄāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāđāļŦāļāļļāļāļāļāđāļĢāļēāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 849
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļāļēāļĢāļĢāļąāļāđāļāļīāļāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļģāļĢāļ°āļŦāļāļĩāđāļāļąāļāļāļ°āļāļķāļāļāļģāļĢāļ°āļāļēāļĄāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļąāđāļ āļāđāļēāļāđāļŦāđāļŠāļąāļāļāļīāļĐāļāļēāļāđāļ§āđāļāđāļāļāļ§āđāļēāļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāļĒāđāļāļĄāđāļĄāđāļĄāļĩāļāļģāļāļēāļāļāļĩāđāļāļ°āļĢāļąāļāđāļāļāļāļđāđāđāļāđāļāļāļđāđāļŠāļąāļāļāļē
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļēāļāļĢāđāļāļĄāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāđāļŦāļāļļāļāļāļāđāļĢāļēāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 847
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļāđāļēāļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļģāļāļēāļĢāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļ āļēāļĒāļāļāļāļāđāļ§āļĒāļāđāļāļĩ āļŦāļĢāļ·āļāđāļāđāļĢāļąāļāļāļģāļĄāļąāđāļāđāļāđāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļ āļēāļĒāļāļāļāđāļāđāļāļāļąāđāļāļ§āđāļēāļāļ°āđāļŦāđāļāđāļēāļāļģāđāļŦāļāđāļāļāļąāļāđāļĄāđāļāļ§āļĢāđāļāđāļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļđāđāļāļĢāļ°āļāļģāļāļēāļĢāđāļāļĒāļŠāļļāļāļĢāļīāļāļāđāļāļĩ āđāļāđāļāļāļēāļĢāļāđāļēāļāļ·āļāļāđāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļĩāđāļāļāđāļāđāļēāļĢāļąāļāļāļģāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļĩāđāđāļāļĢāđ āļāđāļēāļāļ§āđāļēāļāļēāļĒāļŦāļāđāļēāļŦāļēāļĄāļĩāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāļāļ°āđāļāđāļĢāļąāļāļāđāļēāļāļģāđāļŦāļāđāļāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļāđāļāđāļāđāļēāđāļāđāļāđāļēāļĒāļāļĩāđāđāļāđāđāļŠāļĩāļĒāđāļāđāļĄāđ
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļēāļāļĢāđāļāļĄāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāđāļŦāļāļļāļāļāļāđāļĢāļēāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 19 āļāļ§āļī āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāļīāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļ āļ.āļĻ. 2522
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļāđāļāđāļĨāļ°āļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļāļāļ°āļĄāļĩāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļĄāļāļĩāđāļĢāļ°āļāļļāđāļ§āđāđāļāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ āļāļ·āļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāđāļāđāđāļĄāļ·āđāļāļĢāļ§āļĄāļāļąāļāđāļĨāđāļ§āļāđāļāļāđāļĄāđāđāļāļīāļāļāļąāļāļĢāļēāļĢāđāļāļĒāļĨāļ°āļŠāļĩāđāļŠāļīāļāđāļāđāļēāļāļāļāđāļāļ·āđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāļąāđāļāļŦāļĄāļāđāļāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļāļāļąāđāļāđāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĩāđāļāļāļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļāļāļēāļĄāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđ
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 19 āļāļĢāļĩ āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāļīāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļ āļ.āļĻ. 2522
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļāļēāļĢāđāļāļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļĄāļāļĩāđāļĢāļ°āļāļļāđāļ§āđāđāļāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ āđāļŦāđāļāļđāđāļāļāđāļāļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāđāļāđāļāļĢāļēāļĒāļāļ·āđāļāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļĄāļāļĩāđāļĢāļ°āļāļļāđāļ§āđāđāļāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ āļāļĢāđāļāļĄāļāļąāđāļāļāļąāļāļĢāļēāļŠāđāļ§āļāđāļāļ·āđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāļĩāđāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļąāļāļāļĨāđāļēāļ§āļāļ·āļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļāļĒāļđāđāđāļĨāđāļ§āļāđāļāļāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāđāļāđāļēāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļĩāđ āđāļĨāļ°āđāļŦāđāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļđāđāļāļāļĢāļąāļāđāļāļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāđāļŠāļāļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāđāļāđāļāļāļĩāđāļāđāļāļāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāđāļāđāļēāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļĩāđāļāđāļ§āļĒ (āđ) āļŠāļģāļŦāļĢāļąāļāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āļāļēāļĄāļāļĩāđāļĢāļ°āļāļļāđāļ§āđāđāļāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ (āđ) āļāđāļāļāđāļŠāļāļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢāđāļāđāļāļāļđāđāđāļāđāļĢāļąāļāļāļāļļāļāļēāļāđāļŦāđāļĄāļĩāļāļīāđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļĒāļđāđāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļāļēāļāļąāļāļĢāļāļēāļĄāļāļāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāļ§āđāļēāļāđāļ§āļĒāļāļāđāļāđāļēāđāļĄāļ·āļāļ (āđ) āļŠāļģāļŦāļĢāļąāļāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āļāļēāļĄāļāļĩāđāļĢāļ°āļāļļāđāļ§āđāđāļāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ (āđ) āļāđāļāļāđāļŠāļāļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢāđāļāđāļāļāļđāđāđāļāđāļĢāļąāļāļāļāļļāļāļēāļāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļēāļĄāļēāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļāļēāļāļąāļāļĢāļāļēāļĄāļāļāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāļ§āđāļēāļāđāļ§āļĒāļāļēāļĢāļŠāđāļāđāļŠāļĢāļīāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļĨāļāļāļļāļ (āđ) āļŠāļģāļŦāļĢāļąāļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļĄāļāļĩāđāļĢāļ°āļāļļāđāļ§āđāđāļāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ (āđ) āļāđāļāļāđāļŠāļāļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāđāļāđāļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļĄāļāļāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāđāļāļĒ (āđ) āļŠāļģāļŦāļĢāļąāļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļĄāļāļĩāđāļĢāļ°āļāļļāđāļ§āđāđāļāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ (āđ) āļāđāļāļāđāļŠāļāļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢāđāļāđāļāļāļđāđāđāļāđāļĢāļąāļāļāļąāļāļĢāļŠāđāļāđāļŠāļĢāļīāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļĨāļāļāļļāļāļāļēāļĄāļāļāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāļ§āđāļēāļāđāļ§āļĒāļāļēāļĢāļŠāđāļāđāļŠāļĢāļīāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļĨāļāļāļļāļ (āđ) āļŠāļģāļŦāļĢāļąāļāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļāđāļēāļ§āđāļĨāļ°āļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļĄāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ (āđ) āļāđāļāļāđāļŠāļāļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļģāđāļāļīāļāļāļĢāļēāļāđāļēāļāļāļĢāļ°āđāļāļĻāđāļāđāļēāļĄāļēāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļāļēāļāļąāļāļĢāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļāļāđāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļĩāđāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļĩāđāļĄāļĩāļāļīāđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļĒāļđāđāļāļāļāļāļĢāļ°āđāļāļĻāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļāļāđāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļĩāđāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāđāļāļīāļāļāļĢāļēāļāđāļēāļāļāļĢāļ°āđāļāļĻāđāļāļāļģāļāļ§āļāđāļĄāđāļāđāļāļĒāļāļ§āđāļēāļāđāļēāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāļĩāđāļāļ°āļāļ·āđāļ
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 29 āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāļīāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļ āļ.āļĻ. 2522
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļāļđāđāđāļāļāļĢāļ°āļŠāļāļāđāļāļ°āļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļĨāļ°āļāļīāļāļīāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļ§āļāļąāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāļēāļĄāļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāļīāļāļĩāđ āđāļŦāđāļāļģāļŦāļāļąāļāļŠāļ·āļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļĄāļēāļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāļāđāļāļāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāđāļāđāļēāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļĩāđ āđāļāļāļĢāļāļĩāļāļĩāđāļāļāļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļĨāļ°āļāļīāļāļīāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāđāļāļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļ āļāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāđāļāđāļēāļŦāļāđāļēāļāļĩāđāļāļ°āļĢāļąāļāļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļĨāļ°āļāļīāļāļīāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāđāļāđāđāļĄāļ·āđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāļąāļāļāļĨāđāļēāļ§āļāļĨāļāļāļāļēāļāļŦāļāļĩāđāļāļąāļāđāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļāđāļēāđāļāđāļāđāļēāļĒāļāļēāļĄāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ āđāļāļĒāļāđāļāļāļĄāļĩāļŦāļāļąāļāļŠāļ·āļāļĢāļąāļāļĢāļāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļĨāļāļāļŦāļāļĩāđāļāļĢāļēāļ§āļāļĩāđāļŠāļļāļāļāļēāļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļāļĄāļēāđāļŠāļāļ āļāļđāđāļāļąāļāļāļēāļĢāļāđāļāļāļāļģāđāļāļīāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļāļāļŦāļāļąāļāļŠāļ·āļāļĢāļąāļāļĢāļāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļĨāļāļāļŦāļāļĩāđāļāļēāļĄāļ§āļĢāļĢāļāļŠāļāļāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāđāļāđāļēāļāļāļāļĢāđāļ§āļĄāļ āļēāļĒāđāļāļŠāļīāļāļŦāđāļēāļ§āļąāļāļāļąāļāđāļāđāļ§āļąāļāļāļĩāđāđāļāđāļĢāļąāļāļāļģāļĢāđāļāļāļāļāđāļĨāļ°āđāļāđāļēāļāļāļāļĢāđāļ§āļĄāđāļāđāļāļģāļĢāļ°āļŦāļāļĩāđāļāļąāļāđāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļāđāļēāđāļāđāļāđāļēāļĒāļāļēāļĄāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđāđ āļāļĢāļāļāđāļ§āļāđāļĨāđāļ§ āļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļ§āļĢāļĢāļāļŠāļāļāļĄāļīāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāđāļāđāļāļĢāļāļĩāļāļēāļĢāļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļĨāļ°āļāļīāļāļīāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāđāļāļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāđāļāļāļāļāļāļ°āđāļāļĩāļĒāļāļāļīāļāļīāļāļļāļāļāļĨāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļ
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 6/2 āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļąāļāļīāļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļļāļ āļ.āļĻ. 2522
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļ°āļāļ·āđāļāļāļ°āļāļēāļĒāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļ·āđāļāļāļēāļĒāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļĢāļ°āļŦāļ§āđāļēāļāļāļđāđāļĄāļĩāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļīāļāđāļĨāļ°āļāļēāļāļēāļĢāļāļēāļĄāļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē āđ āļāļąāļāļāļđāđāļāļ°āļāļ·āđāļāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļđāđāļāļ·āđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāđāļāļāļāļģāļāļēāļĄāđāļāļāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļĩāđāļĢāļąāļāļĄāļāļāļĢāļĩāļāļĢāļ°āļāļēāļĻāļāļģāļŦāļāļ āļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļ°āļāļ·āđāļāļāļ°āļāļēāļĒāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļ·āđāļāļāļēāļĒāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļāļāļēāļĄāļ§āļĢāļĢāļāļŦāļāļķāđāļāļŠāđāļ§āļāđāļ āļĄāļīāđāļāđāļāļģāļāļēāļĄāđāļāļāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļāļĩāđāļĢāļąāļāļĄāļāļāļĢāļĩāļāļĢāļ°āļāļēāļĻāļāļģāļŦāļāļāđāļĨāļ°āđāļĄāđāđāļāđāļāļāļļāļāļāđāļāļāļđāđāļāļ°āļāļ·āđāļāļŦāļĢāļ·āļāļāļđāđāļāļ·āđāļāļŦāđāļāļāļāļļāļ āļŠāļąāļāļāļēāļŠāđāļ§āļāļāļąāđāļāđāļĄāđāļĄāļĩāļāļĨāđāļāđāļāļąāļāļāļąāļ
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļē 569
āļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāđāļĄ
āļāļąāļāļŠāļąāļāļāļēāđāļāđāļēāļāļŠāļąāļāļŦāļēāļĢāļīāļĄāļāļĢāļąāļāļĒāđāļāļąāđāļāļĒāđāļāļĄāđāļĄāđāļĢāļ°āļāļąāļāđāļ āđāļāļĢāļēāļ°āđāļŦāļāļļāđāļāļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļāļĢāļąāļāļĒāđāļŠāļīāļāļāļķāđāļāđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļē āļāļđāđāļĢāļąāļāđāļāļāļĒāđāļāļĄāļĢāļąāļāđāļāļāļąāđāļāļŠāļīāļāļāļīāđāļĨāļ°āļŦāļāđāļēāļāļĩāđāļāļāļāļāļđāđāđāļāļāļāļķāđāļāļĄāļĩāļāđāļāļāļđāđāđāļāđāļēāļāļąāđāļāļāđāļ§āļĒ
āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļīāļāļāļēāļāļļāđāļāļāļĐāļē / āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļāļĪāļĐāļāļĩāļāļē (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
āļĄāļēāļāļĢāļēāļāļĢāđāļāļĄāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāđāļŦāļāļļāļāļāļāđāļĢāļēāļāđāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ
Français
Article 845
Celui qui s'engage à rÃĐmunÃĐrer un courtier pour lui indiquer l'occasion de conclure un contrat ou pour en mÃĐnager la conclusion ne doit la commission que si le contrat est conclu grÃĒce à cette indication ou intervention. Si le contrat est soumis à une condition suspensive, la commission n'est exigible qu'à la rÃĐalisation de la condition. Le courtier n'a droit au remboursement de ses frais que si cela a ÃĐtÃĐ convenu, mÊme si le contrat n'est pas conclu.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Article 849
Le courtier est prÃĐsumÃĐ ne pas avoir le pouvoir de recevoir, au nom d'une partie, les paiements ou prestations dus en vertu du contrat.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Article 847
Le courtier qui agit aussi pour le tiers, ou qui accepte de ce tiers la promesse d'une rÃĐmunÃĐration incompatible avec la bonne foi d'un courtier, en violation de la mission qu'il a acceptÃĐe, perd tout droit à la commission et au remboursement de ses frais.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Article 19 bis Condominium Act B.E. 2522
Dans chaque immeuble en copropriÃĐtÃĐ, les lots dÃĐtenus par les ÃĐtrangers ou personnes morales de l'article 19 ne peuvent excÃĐder au total 49 % de la superficie de tous les lots, calculÃĐe au moment de la demande d'enregistrement prÃĐvue à l'article 6.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Article 19 ter Condominium Act B.E. 2522
Lors du transfert à un ÃĐtranger ou une personne morale visÃĐs à l'article 19, le demandeur dÃĐclare à l'agent compÃĐtent la liste des dÃĐtenteurs visÃĐs et leur quote-part de superficie; l'acquÃĐreur prouve sa qualitÃĐ ou, pour l'article 19 (5), l'origine de fonds au moins ÃĐgaux au prix du lot.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Article 29 Condominium Act B.E. 2522
L'enregistrement se fait sur prÃĐsentation du titre du lot. Tout transfert exige la plus rÃĐcente attestation d'absence de dettes de charges (article 18), dÃĐlivrÃĐe par le gÃĐrant sous 15 jours aprÃĻs demande et paiement intÃĐgral, sauf transfert antÃĐrieur à l'enregistrement de la personne morale de copropriÃĐtÃĐ.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Article 6/2 Condominium Act B.E. 2522
La promesse de vente ou le contrat de vente d'un lot de copropriÃĐtÃĐ conclu entre le propriÃĐtaire du terrain et de l'immeuble visÃĐ Ã l'article 6 et le promettant acquÃĐreur ou l'acquÃĐreur doit suivre le modÃĻle de contrat fixÃĐ par arrÊtÃĐ du ministre. Toute partie du contrat qui ne suit pas ce modÃĻle et n'est pas favorable au promettant acquÃĐreur ou à l'acquÃĐreur est sans effet.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Article 569
Le bail d'un immeuble ne prend pas fin du fait du transfert de la propriÃĐtÃĐ du bien louÃĐ. L'acquÃĐreur reprend à la fois les droits et les obligations du cÃĐdant envers le preneur.
rÃĐsumÃĐ non officiel
Sources
- Civil and Commercial Code, Office of the Council of State, retrieved 31 October 2026
- Condominium Act B.E. 2522, retrieved 31 October 2026
What an agent does not and cannot verify
The certified copy of the deed from the Land Office
The agent will show you a photocopy of the title deed supplied by the seller. It shows what the deed looked like on the day it was copied. It does not show a mortgage, a court attachment, a usufruct or a lease registered since, and the agent has no way to obtain the current record without going to the Land Office with the right form and a reason. Our page on how to read a title deed in Thailand shows what the front and the back must contain.
The quota record at the Land Office, not the juristic person’s word
“The building has quota” usually means the agent phoned the juristic person office and was told so. The figure that matters is the Land Office’s own record of foreign ownership against the 49% ceiling in section 19 bis of the Condominium Act, because that is the figure the officer uses on transfer day. Juristic person records lag, count units instead of area, or include a sale that has not yet been registered. If the two figures disagree, the Land Office wins and your transfer is refused. See what happens when the foreign quota is full.
The seller’s identity against the deed
The agent deals with whoever answers the phone. The Land Office deals with the name on the deed. In Supreme Court Decision 4096/2557 a foreign buyer had paid for a unit but let it be registered in a Thai person’s name. That person reported the deed lost, obtained a replacement, changed the locks and sold the unit to a third party. The court treated it as theft and ordered restitution of 3,500,000 THB, but the unit was never recovered and the buyer’s widow spent years in the criminal courts. The lesson for you: the passport or ID card at the table must match the registered owner exactly, and anyone else signing needs an original power of attorney that a lawyer has read.
Encumbrances on the reverse of the deed
Thai title deeds record transactions on the back: mortgages, leases over three years (registered under section 538 of the Civil and Commercial Code), usufructs and court attachments. An agent is not trained to read them and rarely sees the current page. A registered lease or usufruct survives your purchase; a mortgage must be redeemed at the counter on transfer day. Our glossary entry on encumbrances explains each type.
Litigation against the developer
For a new or recently completed building, the question is whether the developer is being sued by earlier buyers, the juristic person or a bank. The agent sells the developer’s units and will not search the Supreme Court decision database or the court case registers for the developer’s name. Your lawyer does, as part of the 25-point check in the Condominium Package.
Departures from the standard-form contract under section 6/2
Off-plan, the developer must use the standard-form sale contract, and any clause that departs from it and is unfavourable to the buyer is unenforceable under section 6/2. The agent hands you the developer’s version and tells you it is standard. Sometimes it is. Sometimes the completion date, the penalty for late delivery or the common area definition has been quietly changed. Only a comparison against the prescribed form shows which. Our page on buying an off-plan condo lists the usual changes.
FET paperwork
Under section 19 ter you must show the Land Office that you brought foreign currency into Thailand, or withdrew the money from a non-resident baht account or a foreign currency deposit account, for at least the price of the unit. The agent will tell you to “send the money from abroad”. The bank letter or Foreign Exchange Transaction form must name you, state the purpose as the purchase of this unit, and show the foreign currency amount. Get one word wrong and the bank reissues it slowly, if at all, while your transfer date passes. Read our page on the FET form before the money moves.
The tax split
Government fees at the Land Office are the 2% transfer fee, specific business tax of 3.3% (or 0.5% stamp duty), and withholding tax. Agents often say “costs are split 50/50”, which is a custom for the transfer fee only. Specific business tax and withholding tax are the seller’s costs unless you agree otherwise in writing. The difference is tens of thousands of baht, and it is settled by the contract, not by what the agent said at the viewing.
Who checks what
| Check | Agent | Juristic person | Land Office | Your lawyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified current copy of the deed, front and back | No (photocopy only) | No | Issues it on request | Obtains, translates and reads it |
| Foreign quota against the 49% ceiling | Repeats what it is told | Gives its own figure | Applies its own record on transfer day | Checks both and reports the gap |
| Seller’s identity matches the registered owner | No | No | Checks on the day, too late to walk away cheaply | Checks before any deposit |
| Mortgages, leases, usufructs, attachments | No | No | Registered there; not explained to you | Reads the reverse and advises |
| Common fee arrears, debt-free certificate | Asks the seller | Issues the certificate (s.18, s.29) | Refuses transfer without it | Confirms it is issued and current |
| Litigation against the developer | No | No | No | Searches court records |
| Contract departures from the s.6/2 standard form | No | No | No | Compares clause by clause |
| FET wording under s.19 ter | General advice | No | Accepts or rejects on the day | Drafts the instruction to your bank |
| Tax split between buyer and seller | Quotes custom | No | Calculates and collects | Writes the split into the contract |
The debt-free certificate: the one check that stops a transfer outright
Under sections 18 and 29 of the Condominium Act, unpaid common expenses follow the unit, and the Land Office may not register a transfer without the juristic person’s certificate that nothing is owed. Section 29 says so expressly. Its own fourth paragraph exempts one case, a transfer registered before the juristic person itself is registered, and in Dika 4457/2565 the Supreme Court restated the rule and treated an execution sale as outside it. Agents know this one and usually chase it. What they do not check is the date (the certificate has a short validity), the figure (arrears sometimes appear between issue and transfer) and whether a special assessment voted last month has been left off. If the seller has not paid, you pay at the counter or you do not transfer.
How to use your agent and a lawyer together
Buying a condo through an agent in Thailand works best when the agent knows from day one that the deposit is conditional on a lawyer’s review of the deed and the contract, and that the condition will be written into the reservation form. A professional agent will not object; the ones who do are telling you something. Order the Title Deed Check as soon as you have a unit number and a building name; it takes 3 business days. If the deed is clean, order the Condominium Package and let the agent and the lawyer deal with each other directly on documents. Everything is done remotely, for any province; our only public office is in Bangkok, by appointment.
What it costs
- Title Deed Check, 4,900 THB: certified copy from the Land Office (front and back, official stamp and date), English translation and a 2-page lawyer’s report, in 3 business days. Credited against the Condominium Package if ordered within 30 days.
- Condominium Package, 19,900 THB: 25-point due diligence, contract review, FET guidance and written transfer instructions, in 7 to 14 business days.
- Condominium Premium Package, 34,900 THB: adds Land Office attendance and translation on transfer day in Bangkok, Pattaya, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Surin, Buriram and nearby; elsewhere quoted before you commit.
- Consultation, 2,000 THB per hour, credited against a package.
- Government fees (2% transfer fee, 3.3% specific business tax or 0.5% stamp duty, withholding tax) are paid at the Land Office and are never included.
Order the Condominium Package (19,900 THB)
Order a Title Deed Check (4,900 THB)
Not ready to order? Download the free condo buying checklist for foreigners and take it to your next viewing. Files are handled by Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556, under Sebastien Brousseau, LL.B., B.Sc., Managing Director, who has managed law firms in Thailand since 2006.
Frequently Asked Questions
My agent says the building has foreign quota available. Is that enough?
No. The agent is repeating what the juristic person said, and the juristic person’s figure is not the one the Land Office uses. The 49% ceiling in section 19 bis is applied by the Land Office against its own registration record on transfer day. We check both figures and tell you whether they agree. If they do not, you find out before the deposit rather than at the counter.
Does the agent have a legal duty to check the title deed for me?
No. Thailand has no licensing regime for property agents and no duty of care to the buyer written into the Condominium Act. The agent’s contract, where one exists, is with the seller who pays the commission. A good agent will chase documents on your behalf, but reading a deed, searching court records and comparing a contract with the prescribed standard form are legal tasks that the agent neither performs nor warrants.
Can I pay the agent to do the due diligence instead?
You can ask, but the agent will send you a photocopy of the deed and a letter from the juristic person. Neither is the certified current record from the Land Office, and neither tells you what is registered on the reverse of the deed. For 4,900 THB the Title Deed Check obtains that record, translates it and reports on it in 3 business days. The agent’s commission already comes from the seller; paying the agent twice does not change what the agent can obtain.
What if the seller is not the person on the deed?
Walk away unless the person signing holds an original, properly witnessed power of attorney from the registered owner and a lawyer has read it. Supreme Court Decision 4096/2557 is the warning: the person named on the deed is the one the Land Office recognises, and when that person is not the one who paid, the unit can be reported lost, re-issued and sold from under the real buyer. A buyer who pays someone other than the registered owner, or on a defective power of attorney, has paid the wrong person.
Who pays the lawyer if I use one alongside the agent?
You do, and that is the point of buying a condo through an agent in Thailand with a lawyer alongside. The agent is paid by the seller on completion and earns nothing if the sale falls through. Your lawyer is paid by you, a flat fee that does not depend on whether you buy. The Title Deed Check is 4,900 THB and the Condominium Package 19,900 THB. If the first shows a problem and you walk away, you have spent 4,900 THB and kept your deposit.
Can the agent hold my deposit?
Agents often ask to. A deposit paid to the agent under a one-page reservation form is at risk twice: the form may make it forfeitable if you do not complete, and the agent may release it to the seller before your checks are done. Pay the deposit against a written agreement that makes it refundable in full if the deed, the quota or the debt-free certificate fail, and have the terms reviewed before you sign, not after.
Do I still need the Condominium Package if the Title Deed Check is clean?
A clean deed answers the title question. It does not review the sale contract, check for litigation against the developer, confirm the quota against the Land Office record, draft your FET instruction or write the transfer-day steps. Those are in the Condominium Package at 19,900 THB, and the 4,900 THB you paid for the Title Deed Check is credited against it if you order within 30 days.
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