Buying

Buying a Condo in Hua Hin as a Foreigner, the 2026 Guide to Ownership, Costs and Due Diligence

How foreigners can legally own a Hua Hin condo, how the 49% foreign quota and leaseholds work, what the Land Office charges at transfer, and the checks to make before you pay a deposit.

7 min readUpdated 20 October 2026

Hua Hin is one of the few places in Thailand where foreign buyers can find a wide choice of beach and town condominiums within a few hours of Bangkok. The rules for foreign ownership are clear once you know them, but they are strict, and a mistake at the start can be expensive to fix later.

This guide explains what a foreigner can own, how money must reach Thailand, what is paid at the Land Office, and the checks to make before signing anything for a Hua Hin condo for sale.

What a foreigner can own

Thai law generally does not allow foreigners to own land in their own name. The main exception for most buyers is a unit in a building registered under the Condominium Act. A registered condo unit comes with its own condominium title deed, issued by the Land Office, and can be held in a foreigner's own name with no Thai partner.

Houses and land are different. A foreigner can own a building separately from the land under it, but the land itself is usually held under a registered lease. That is why many Hua Hin pool villas are sold to foreign buyers as leasehold.

The 49% foreign quota

Under the Condominium Act, the units owned by foreigners in one registered condominium may together make up no more than 49% of the total floor area of all units. The other 51% must stay in Thai hands. The quota applies per building, not per buyer.

In practice this means:

Ask early whether the unit you like can be transferred into foreign ownership. Popular beachfront buildings may have used up their foreign quota.
The condominium juristic person (the owners' management body) issues a letter confirming the foreign ownership ratio. The Land Office needs this at transfer.
If the quota is full, a developer or seller may offer the unit on a lease instead. That is a very different and weaker right than freehold ownership.

To qualify as a foreign owner, most buyers rely on the route in Section 19 of the Act that covers foreigners who bring the purchase money into Thailand in foreign currency. Other routes exist, for example for holders of a Thai residence permit or certain investment-promoted persons, so ask your lawyer which one fits you.

Freehold vs leasehold

Freehold means the unit is registered in your name on a title deed, with no end date. You can sell it, mortgage it where a lender allows, and leave it in a will.

Leasehold means you hold a right to use the property for a fixed period. Under the Civil and Commercial Code, a lease of immovable property cannot exceed 30 years, and a lease longer than three years must be registered at the Land Office to be fully enforceable for its whole term.

Many leasehold contracts promise one or two further 30-year renewals. Be realistic about what such a clause can do:

A renewal clause is at best a contractual promise between the parties. It is not a registered right for the later periods.
In Supreme Court decision No. 4655/2566, reported in 2025, the court held that pre-agreed renewals designed to secure rights beyond 30 years were unenforceable, even where rent had been paid and the first lease was registered.
If the landowner sells, dies or becomes insolvent, a promise to renew may be hard or impossible to enforce against the new owner or heirs.

A leasehold can still suit some buyers, especially for a villa you plan to enjoy for the medium term. Just price it as a right for up to 30 years, not as permanent ownership.

Bringing your money from abroad

If you are buying a freehold condo under the foreign-currency route, the purchase money must be sent to Thailand from abroad in foreign currency and converted into baht by a Thai bank. The bank then provides evidence of the inward transfer, often called a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form or a bank certificate. The Land Office checks this document before registering the unit in your name.

Practical tips:

Send foreign currency, not baht bought abroad, so the Thai bank records the conversion.
State the purpose clearly in the transfer, for example the purchase of a condominium unit, with your name, the project and the unit number.
Ask the receiving bank, before you send, what document it will issue for each payment. Banks differ, and old online claims about a single minimum amount should not be relied on.
Keep every SWIFT confirmation and bank document. Your lawyer will want to check them before the transfer day.

Costs at the Land Office

Fees and taxes are paid at the Land Office on the day of transfer. They are generally based on the official appraised value, which may differ from the price you agreed.

Transfer fee: normally 2% of the appraised value. Buyer and seller often share it, but this is negotiable and should be written into the contract.
Specific business tax: 3.3% of the higher of the sale price or appraised value, usually paid by the seller, when the seller has owned the property for less than five years or sells it as a business.
Stamp duty: 0.5%, paid instead of specific business tax when that tax does not apply. Usually the seller's cost.
Withholding tax: income tax collected from the seller at transfer. For individuals it is calculated on the appraised value with a sliding scale that depends on how long they owned it. For companies it is 1% of the higher of the price or appraised value.

The Thai government has reduced the transfer and mortgage registration fees to 0.01% for some purchases until 30 June 2027, but the measure as published is limited to Thai national buyers and to properties of up to 7 million baht. Foreign buyers should budget for the standard fee.

For a new condo, also expect a one-off sinking fund contribution and common-area fees paid in advance. Ask for these figures in writing before you reserve.

Due diligence before you pay

Title check. Your lawyer should search the title at the Land Office for the owner's name, mortgages, seizures and any registered rights.
Developer and permits. For off-plan units, check the company, the building permits, the environmental impact assessment approval where required, and whether the building has been registered as a condominium.
Foreign quota. Get written confirmation that the unit can be transferred to foreign ownership.
Juristic person. At resale, the seller must obtain a letter from the juristic person confirming no common fees are owed. Ask for recent accounts and meeting minutes too.
Common-area fees and sinking fund. Find out the rate per square metre, what it covers, how healthy the sinking fund is and whether major repairs are planned.
Building rules. Read the condo regulations, especially on pets, renovations and short-term rentals.
Contract terms. Check the payment schedule, completion date, defect period, and what happens if either side cannot complete.

Use an independent lawyer

Choose a lawyer who works for you, not one recommended or paid by the seller or developer. A good lawyer will review the reservation and sale contracts before you sign, run the title search, check the FET plan and attend the transfer if you cannot.

Do not use a nominee

You may hear of land held by a Thai company or a Thai person on behalf of a foreigner. Using Thai nominees to hold land for a foreigner is illegal. In 2026 the Department of Lands announced tighter checks on the source of funds and on companies with foreign shareholders. Penalties can include fines, imprisonment and an order to dispose of the land. Treat any scheme of this kind as a serious risk to your money.

Next steps

Take your time. Many buyers rent first to learn the town; our long-term renting guide explains how. Compare neighbourhoods in choosing an area in Hua Hin, then browse properties for sale and projects. If you have a question about a listing, please contact us.