Yes, within defined limits. A foreign buyer can own a condominium unit freehold in their own name, provided the building still has room in its 49 percent foreign quota. Land cannot be held freehold by a foreign individual, so villas are normally structured as a registered long lease or through a Thai company. We tell you which route applies to a property before you commit to anything.

Freehold means the title is registered in your name at the Land Department and is yours to sell, let or pass on. Leasehold means you hold a registered right to use the property for a fixed term, most commonly 30 years, usually written with agreed renewal terms. Both are normal in Phuket, and the right choice depends on the property, your timeline and your exit plan.

Not the land itself in your own name. In practice buyers use a registered long lease over the land, often combined with ownership of the building itself, or a properly constituted Thai company where there is a genuine commercial purpose. Nominee shareholder arrangements are illegal in Thailand, and we do not arrange them.

The Land Department transfer fee is 2 percent of the appraised value. Depending on how long the seller has held the property, either specific business tax at 3.3 percent or stamp duty at 0.5 percent applies, together with withholding tax on the seller. Who pays what is negotiable, and splitting the transfer fee evenly is common. We set out the full figure for your specific deal before you sign.

A resale condominium with clean title and funds ready usually completes in four to eight weeks from an accepted offer. Villas and leasehold structures take longer, because lease registration and the extra due diligence add steps. Off plan follows the developer's construction schedule, with payments staged against it.

We check the title deed and its history at the Land Office, confirm the seller's authority to sell, look for mortgages, servitudes and access rights, and verify building permits and the foreign quota position where relevant. For off plan we look at the developer's completed projects, the land title behind the scheme and the payment schedule. We work alongside an independent Thai lawyer, not one appointed by the seller.

No. Owning property in Thailand carries no residency right on its own. Buyers commonly hold a Long Term Resident visa, a Thailand Privilege membership, a retirement extension or a business visa, and each is assessed on its own criteria. We can introduce you to advisors who handle the application.

Usually yes, though the terms matter. Many condominiums and villa estates run a rental programme with the developer or an appointed manager, and some restrict short stay letting under building rules or Thai hotel licensing. Rental income earned in Thailand is taxable. We confirm what a specific building or estate allows before you buy on the assumption of income.