How it works · Checked
Key facts about buying in Phuket
In Phuket a foreigner can buy a condominium unit freehold, within the 49% foreign quota of the building floor area. Two conditions decide everything: the remaining quota is confirmed in writing before you pay, and the money arrives from abroad in a foreign currency, and the Thai bank issues a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form (FET) for each payment.
Key figures
What a foreigner can buy in Phuket
A condo unit - freehold. Section 19 bis of the Condominium Act allows foreigners to own units as long as their total area does not exceed 49% of the floor area of all units in the building (Thai Law Online). The quota is counted by area and tied to a specific building, so in popular projects it can run out while the building is still under construction.
A villa - only through a land lease. Foreigners cannot own land; the lease term is up to 30 years. "30+30+30" promises in a contract were found void by the Supreme Court in case 4655/2566 (Addleshaw Goddard). More in our article on the 49% quota and villa leases.
How buying from a developer works
- You reserve a unit and we request written confirmation that quota is available for it.
- Sale and purchase agreement with a payment schedule. A lawyer checks the developer's land rights, the building permit and the termination terms.
- Stage payments. Each payment arrives from abroad in a foreign currency marked "purchase of a condominium unit", and the bank issues an FET (Khonsu Legal).
- Transfer and registration in your name at the Land Department, and payment of fees.
Escrow is not mandatory for off-plan purchases in Thailand. So protection comes from elsewhere: payments tied to construction stages, the developer's track record of delivering past projects, and refund terms if deadlines slip.
What it costs to buy in
Phuket developers price units by floor and view and share price lists on request, so we do not show a price on catalog cards without a current list. For reference, official statistics: in H1 2026 foreigners registered 6,533 condominium units in Thailand, at an average price of 4.3 million baht and an average size of 43.9 m², about 98,566 baht per m² (Thairath / REIC). These are national averages, not Phuket only.
Add transfer costs to the price: a 2% registration fee on the appraised value (how it is split between buyer and developer is set in the contract) and 0.5% stamp duty if the seller does not pay specific business tax (The Nation, Revenue Department). Every year there is a building maintenance fee set by the project.
Renting out - what to know
Renting a unit for less than 30 days without a hotel licence is not allowed - the Thai authorities explicitly warn foreign investors about this (Library of Congress). If you plan short-term lets, we look for a licensed project or a licensed operator. We have not found reliable official yield statistics for Phuket, so we do not promise "up to 10% a year". A "guaranteed return" is a contract term: we check who guarantees it and with what. We do not promise returns or price growth: we show the calculation and the sources, and the decision is yours.
Where our catalog projects are
Our catalog currently has 8 Phuket condominiums in Kamala, Bang Tao, Cherngtalay, Karon, Phuket Town and Samkong, by Sansiri and Phuket Plus. We send prices, the remaining quota and the payment schedule for each on request.
In short
- A condo unit is freehold within the 49% quota; a villa is a land lease of up to 30 years.
- Every payment must come from abroad in a foreign currency with an FET, otherwise the unit cannot be registered to a foreigner.
- No escrow: stage payments and a developer check before you reserve.
- Short-term lets only with a licence; returns are not guaranteed.
Up to date as of . Catalog prices come from developer price lists on the check date shown on each project card. This is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice; returns and price growth are not guaranteed. We check the conditions for your passport with a local lawyer before you reserve.
Sources
- Thairath / REIC - condo purchases by foreigners, H1 2026
- Thai Law Online - the 49% foreign quota in condominiums
- Condominium Act B.E. 2522 (1979), Department of Lands
- Khonsu Legal - foreign quota and the FET form
- Addleshaw Goddard - Supreme Court decision 4655/2566 on lease renewals
- The Nation - property transfer fees
- Thai Revenue Department - stamp duty
- Library of Congress - Thailand warns foreign investors over illegal condo rentals
