Foreign and Thai quota: what the difference is and which to choose

Pattaya Navigator · updated 2026-10-13

General information, not legal or tax advice. Laws, rates and procedures can change and depend on your individual situation; confirm the details with a licensed lawyer or accountant before you buy.

Listings of apartments in Pattaya often say "Foreign quota" or "Thai quota". It determines whether you will be able to register the apartment as your own property in your name.

What the foreign quota is

Under the Thai Condominium Act, foreigners may own no more than 49% of the saleable area in each building. The apartments that make up these 49% are called apartments in the foreign quota (Foreign quota, Foreign freehold).

By buying such an apartment, a foreigner receives full ownership - a title document in their own name. The apartment can be sold, given away or left by inheritance.

What the Thai quota is

The remaining 51% of the building's area is the Thai quota. A foreigner cannot register an apartment in the Thai quota as their own property. The options are:

a long-term lease (leasehold) - up to 30 years, registered at the Land Department; renewals are often written into the contract, but only the first term is guaranteed by law;
buying in the name of a Thai spouse - with all the legal consequences taken into account;
buying through a company - only if the company is genuine and carries on real business; schemes with nominee shareholders are illegal.

Why the prices differ

The foreign quota is limited, so apartments in it are usually more expensive than similar ones in the Thai quota of the same building. In buildings by the sea that are popular with foreigners, no free foreign quota may be left at all - then it can only be bought on the resale market, from foreign owners.

How to check the quota

Ask the seller which quota the apartment is in and look at the title document.
If the apartment is currently in the Thai quota and you want the foreign one, ask the building's management company whether any free foreign quota is left.
The money for a purchase in the foreign quota must come from abroad in foreign currency - without the bank's confirmation registration is impossible.

These checks are part of the property inspection before the transaction.

Which to choose

For living, resale and inheritance - the foreign quota: full ownership, easier to sell to another foreigner.
To save money - the Thai quota with a long-term lease may be cheaper, but this is a leasehold right, not ownership. The risks should be assessed with a lawyer.

Where to look

On the platform, a property's quota is shown if the agent has provided it. A ready-made selection: apartments in the foreign quota in Pattaya (in Russian). The whole path of a purchase is in the article How to buy an apartment in Thailand as a foreigner.

This material is for general information only and does not replace professional advice on your own transaction.