Révisé par ThaiLawOnline, un cabinet d'avocats thaïlandais agréé exerçant en Thaïlande depuis 2006. Avocate thaïlandaise en charge du dossier : Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., licence du barreau thaïlandais 3149/2556.
Dernière mise à jour le 5 septembre 2026
Escrow (เอสโครว์, also escrow account ou escrow agreement) is an arrangement under the Escrow Act B.E. 2551 (2008) by which a neutral third party licensed by the Ministry of Finance holds the buyer’s money, and sometimes the seller’s documents, and releases them only when the conditions agreed in the sale contract are met, typically the registration of the transfer at the Land Office. It exists to solve the problem at the heart of every Thai property deal: the buyer does not want to pay before getting title, and the seller does not want to give title before being paid. It is lawful, regulated and, in practice, rarely offered.
Table des matières
What the Escrow Act provides
The Act creates a three-party contract. Buyer, seller and escrow agent sign an escrow agreement setting out what is deposited, what conditions must be satisfied, who verifies them and how the funds are then paid out. The agent must be a commercial bank, a financial institution or another personne morale licensed by the Ministry of Finance, must have no connection with either party and must keep the escrow money separate from its own assets, so that it is protected if the agent itself fails. Interest earned belongs as the agreement provides.
Escrow is voluntary. Nothing in the Act, the Loi sur les condominiums ou le Code foncier obliges a seller or a developer to use it, and the default in the Thai market remains direct payment: a deposit to the seller on signing, and the balance by cashier’s cheque handed over at the Land Office counter on the day the transfer is registered. Since under Section 456 of the Code civil et commercial ownership of immovable property passes only on registration, the moment of exchange at the counter is the natural point for the money to move.
Using escrow as a foreign buyer in Thailand
The main use is off-plan. A buyer of a unit that will not be finished for two years is paying instalments against nothing but a contract, and an escrow account that releases each instalment only as construction milestones are certified is the strongest protection available. Some larger developers offer it through a partner bank; most do not, and the buyer’s leverage to demand it is greatest before the reservation fee is paid, not after.
The escrow agreement must be drafted with care. The release condition should be the registered transfer of title into the buyer’s name, not “signature of the transfer documents” or “completion of construction”, and the agreement should say who pays the agent’s fee, usually a fraction of 1% of the sum held, sometimes with a minimum. Fees for a bank escrow on a condominium purchase are small compared with the transfer fee and taxes.
The common mistake is to accept a “lawyer’s escrow” or a “company escrow” as the equivalent. A law firm’s client account is not an escrow under the Act, no licence covers it and the money is protected only by the firm’s honesty and solvency. A deposit “held” by the developer’s own subsidiary is not held by anyone.
Escrow compared with deposits and staged payments
Most Thai sales rely instead on the earnest deposit under Sections 377 and 378 of the Civil and Commercial Code: the buyer pays a sum on signing, forfeits it on default and can claim double if the seller defaults. That remedy requires suing a seller who may have no assets, which is exactly what escrow avoids.
| Method | Who holds the money | Buyer’s protection |
|---|---|---|
| Escrow under the Act | Licensed bank or agent | Released only on registered transfer |
| Earnest deposit to seller | Vendeur | Right to sue for double the deposit |
| Cashier’s cheque at transfer | Buyer until the counter | Good for resales, useless off-plan |
| Instalments to developer | Promoteur | Contract claim only if the project stalls |
When an escrow agreement itself goes wrong, the dispute is with the agent over whether a condition was met, and the Act’s licensing regime gives the Ministry of Finance supervisory powers that no private arrangement has.
Foire aux questions
Is escrow mandatory when buying property in Thailand?
No. The Escrow Act B.E. 2551 makes escrow available but not compulsory, and most sales are completed by direct payment at the Land Office on transfer day. A buyer who wants escrow must negotiate it into the sale contract, and many developers and private sellers refuse.
Who can act as an escrow agent in Thailand?
Only a commercial bank, a financial institution or another juristic person licensed by the Ministry of Finance under the Escrow Act. The agent must be independent of both parties and must hold the funds separately from its own money. A lawyer’s client account or a developer’s affiliate is not an escrow under the Act.
How much does escrow cost in Thailand?
Bank escrow fees are usually a fraction of 1% of the amount held, often with a minimum charge, and the sale contract decides whether the buyer, the seller or both pay. Against the risk on an off-plan purchase, the cost is small.
Voir aussi : Earnest (mat jam), Vérifications nécessaires, Bureau foncier, Comptes séquestres en Thaïlande ET Off-Plan Condos in Thailand.
Actualités juridiques thaïlandaises, gratuites par courriel
Des informations claires et concises sur les changements législatifs thaïlandais concernant les étrangers : propriété, visas, mariage, affaires et testaments. Un court courriel par mois, envoyé par un cabinet d’avocats établi depuis 2006. Zéro spam, désabonnement possible à tout moment.