Which Thai laws govern foreign ownership and purchase of land in Thailand ?
Ownership of land in Thailand is governed by the Land Code of BE 2497 (1954), the Civil and Commercial Code, the Land Reform for Agriculture Act BE 2518 (1975), and the regulations set forth by the Ministry of the Interior. Aren’t foreigners prohibited from owning land in Thailand ? Under strict application of the existing law it is officially prohibited for foreigners, including both individuals and juristic entities (e.g., companies or partnerships), to own land in Thailand . However, there are exceptions to the prohibition found in the law itself. There are also other methods of arranging for the purchase of land in Thailand . According to section 97 of the Thai Land Law, the definition of a foreigner includes a Thai registered company or partnership in which more than 49% of the capital is owned by foreigners or of which more than half the shareholders or partners are foreign citizens. Can foreigners own buildings even if they don’t own the land? Although Thai law prohibits foreign
