Can foreigners own land in Thailand right now?
No. Section 86 of the Land Code bars foreigners from holding land title, and that hasn't changed. This is a common point of confusion because foreigners genuinely can own the building on that land, or the condominium unit sitting on it under the 49% quota (see our foreign-ownership Guide), and the distinction between owning a structure and owning the ground under it gets lost in casual conversation. It cannot be changed by a ministerial order or a Cabinet decision alone. Only an act of the National Assembly can amend the Land Code, which is exactly what the proposal below is trying, and hasn't yet managed, to do.
What is the 40 million baht land ownership proposal?
A draft regulation, endorsed in principle by Cabinet in late 2025, that would let qualifying foreigners buy up to one rai (1,600 square metres) of residential land. The condition: at least THB 40 million invested in Thailand, held for a minimum of three years, in government bonds or other approved assets. It targets four specific categories of applicant: wealthy global citizens, wealthy pensioners, people working remotely from Thailand, and highly skilled professionals or specialists, echoing the same buyer categories the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa programme already screens for.
What happened to the bill in the National Assembly?
It stalled. After Cabinet's endorsement, the draft reached the National Assembly and was sent back for further review in March 2026. As of this Guide's last check, it remains there, facing pushback from rural constituencies and nationalist groups concerned about foreign land accumulation. Political will exists in some factions, but nothing has moved it forward since the March setback. Treat any claim that this has passed, or is about to pass on a specific date, as unverified until you can point to the actual Royal Gazette publication.
What are the compliant ways to use land as a foreigner today?
Three routes work under current law, all reviewed in depth in our foreign-ownership Guide. Registered leasehold gives up to 30 years of secured occupancy, renewable, and a foreigner can separately hold freehold title to a structure built on that leased land. Board of Investment (BOI) promotion allows land ownership directly for an approved business activity, not a residence, so it fits an investor more than someone who just wants a house. And for anyone who only needs a home rather than land itself, a freehold condominium unit under the 49% building quota sidesteps the land question entirely, since a condo unit is not land.
Should I wait for the bill to pass before buying?
Not on the strength of a proposal alone. The bill has been stalled since March 2026 with no confirmed timeline for a return to the National Assembly floor, and Thailand's land-ownership rules have a long history of proposed reforms that didn't clear the legislature. Anyone whose plans genuinely depend on owning land outright, rather than a house on leased land or a condo, should treat the current rules as the ones that apply, and revisit the question if and when the bill actually passes, not before.
