Living in Thailand

Dika 3228/2569: two 2017 land transfers revoked, two 2006 claims time-barred. Spousal consent, buyer protection and due diligence in Thailand.

Double jeopardy in Thailand does not cover foreign judgments. Dika 889/2569 lets Thai courts retry offences already judged abroad: what expats must know.

Are English Translations of Thai Law Official? What You Can and Cannot Rely On Search for any section of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code and you will find English versions on half a dozen websites, most of them carrying a one line disclaimer that nobody explains. So here is the question every exp

ThaiLawOnline Newsletter – September 2026 – Estate Edition What really happens to your Thai assets when you die, a proper

Dika 97/2569: property bought together before marriage is co-owned half each, whatever name is on the deed. Rules for unmarried couples in Thailand.

Supreme Court 1511/2569: a developer cannot keep 2.8M baht of instalments as a forfeited deposit. Earnest-money rules (CCC s.377-378) for condo buyers.

Quick answer. A Thai prenuptial agreement may have effect outside Thailand, but its treatment abroad depends on the law of

You paid the reservation fee. You picked the unit. Then the sales office called: the foreign quota is full. This page is for that moment. It sets out the five legal options a foreign buyer has in Thailand when a condo’s 49% foreign quota is exhausted. They’re ranked from lowest risk to highest, with the statute behind each one.

Short answer. When the foreign quota is full, the Land Office will not register the unit in your name (Condominium Act B.E. 2522, Section 19 quater). You have five options. (1) Walk away and recover your reservation fee. (2) Move to a unit or building that still has quota. (3) Register a 30-year lease. (4) Buy in a Thai spouse’s name. (5) Buy through a real Thai-majority company. Options 1 and 2 are low risk. Option 3 is medium. Options 4 and 5 carry real legal and financial exposure. Nothing else on offer (joint ownership with a Thai, “30+30+30” leases, a promised 75% quota) actually works.

We’ve handled this call many times while advising foreign clients in Thailand since 2006. The buyer is usually a few days into a transaction and under pressure to “just sign the lease version”. Don’t. Read this first. It takes ten minutes, and it can save you from paying for a unit you never legally own.

Thai Customs seized your goods? Dika 208/2569 shows which court can order their return. Time limits, procedure and rights under the Customs Act B.E. 2560.

Thailand’s Supreme Court clarified which court hears land disputes with the state (Dika 212/2569, 213/2569). What foreign buyers and condo owners must know.