Lawyer for buying real estate in Thailand: choice, services and prices

A lawyer for buying real estate in Thailand helps you understand the rights to the property, documents and transaction terms. Choose a specialist based on independence, verifiable qualifications and experience with similar purchases. Before starting work, request a written proposal: what checks are included, what you will receive, how much you will pay, and who is responsible for the result.

We recommend contacting a lawyer before signing binding documents and paying a deposit. This way you can discuss reservation terms, payment arrangements and actions if a problem is found, while you are still deciding whether to buy. If you are only getting acquainted with the market, start with the article guide to buying real estate in Thailand.

Terms may change. The update date is indicated in the publication’s note. Clarify how the rules and terms of service apply to your purchase during an individual consultation.

Why a buyer needs an independent lawyer

Finding an apartment and checking whether it can be bought are different tasks. A nice plan, a convenient location and an agreed price do not answer questions about the seller’s rights, encumbrances or the consequences of signing the contract. The legal engagement should be set out separately from the property search.

Independence is checked through the relationships of the transaction’s participants. Ask who hires the specialist, pays for their work and receives the opinion. Find out whether there is a connection with the seller, developer or agent, and how the contractor will act in case of a conflict of interest.

A realtor’s recommendation alone does not prove a lawyer’s dependence. But the promise “this is our proven specialist” does not replace an explanation of their role. If the opinion is intended for you, record this in the engagement along with responsibility for the work.

The language of the documents is another reason to agree on support in advance. Ask that the legal meaning of the terms be explained in a language you understand, and specify who is responsible for translation. Online translation can help you read the text, but it should not be taken as a legal opinion.

For a foreign buyer, rights to a unit, a building and land must not be mixed up. The government memo describes the special acquisition of land for residence with an investment of 40 million baht, with an area not exceeding 1 rai and with permission from the Minister of Interior. This is a special exception with conditions, not a universal scheme for buying a plot of land.

For an overview of the general legal picture, see the article rights and restrictions when buying real estate. Ask the contractor to explain how a specific ownership structure applies to the property you choose.

How to verify qualifications and choose a specialist

Start with the name of the person who will conduct the review and sign the opinion. The firm’s name and communication with a Russian-speaking manager do not explain who performs the legal work. Request information about the claimed professional status and how it is confirmed.

The law firm ThaiLawOnline explains that registering a Thai attorney license requires Thai citizenship. This is the firm’s explanation; a Russian qualification cannot automatically be considered confirmation of a Thai license. At the same time, the participation of a foreign consultant does not mean a ban on all consulting work: you need to find out their role and the division of responsibility within the team.

The consultation line 1167 is published on the official website of the Lawyers Council of Thailand. This is a contact for inquiries, not a promise to verify a license by phone. Agree on how the specific specialist’s status is confirmed separately.

Use the same questions for all candidates:

Ask for examples of experience with similar properties and foreign buyers. For a ready-built condo, a villa and a project under construction, the questions differ, so general years in the field do not replace relevant experience. Reviews and recommendations are useful as an additional guide, but not as confirmation of a completed review.

Which tasks to include in legal support

Agree on the list of works, not just the package name. Document checks, contract review and participation in registration are separate tasks. A lawyer for buying real estate in Thailand may receive an engagement for one or several of them, so it is best to define the scope of the service before payment.

Propose the following sequence to the contractor:

1. Define the property and the structure of the purchase. Clarify which right you are acquiring and which documents are available for review.
2. Check the seller and the seller’s authority. Agree on verifying the identity or company registration, rights to the property and the signatory’s authority.
3. Study the documents and encumbrances. Include questions about pledges, seizures, disputes and restrictions relevant to your purchase.
4. Review the contract. Check payments, transfer of the property, liability of the parties, termination and stated guarantees.
5. Agree on settlements and bank documents. Determine which confirmations are needed for the chosen method of acquisition.
6. Prepare the registration procedures. Establish who collects documents, who attends the land office and what is included in the fee.

This is a recommended list for discussion, not a universal package established by law. Ask the contractor to indicate which information they request independently, which they obtain from the seller, and which questions remain outside the engagement.

A written review result is convenient to agree on in this format:

• verified document;
• source of information;
• date received;
• identified risk;
• required action;
• unresolved question.

This way you can distinguish a verified fact from an assumption and see what still needs to be done. The phrase “documents are in order” without an explanation of the review’s scope says too little about the work performed.

Propose arranging the legal document review and the technical inspection of the property as separate engagements. Do not assume that an assessment of the building’s condition is included just because the offer is called full support. To link these tasks to the overall sequence of the transaction, see stages of buying property as a foreigner.

What documents to check for a condo, villa or new development

The set of questions depends on what exactly you are buying. First, determine types of real estate in Thailand, then agree on documents for your scenario. The table below is the basis for the instruction to the contractor, not a mandatory set for every transaction.

Ready-built condo

The government memo on condo registration names the title deed to the unit, the contract, and a letter on the foreign ownership share from the condominium’s managing juristic person. The project’s land title does not replace verification of the right to the unit being purchased. Ask the contractor to show which document confirms the seller’s right to this specific unit.

The government memo specifies the foreign ownership limit 49%. The legal overview from Global Law Experts explains it as a share of the total area of units in a registered condominium building. This is not a share of the number of units, nor a percentage of the total area of the building including all premises.

Separately include in the engagement information on debts, common-area fees and building management rules. Ask for an explanation of restrictions on use of the unit that may matter for your plans. Do not replace document review with the seller’s verbal promise.

Villa or house

Here we recommend discussing rights to the building, the land and access to the plot separately. If the seller shows a land title (Chanote) or another land document, ask for an explanation of what right it confirms and what the buyer receives. Agree on checking boundaries, access, possible encumbrances and disputes.

If a lease (leasehold) or right of use (usufruct) is offered, include analysis of this structure in the engagement. Ask for an analysis of the term, termination conditions and promises of renewal. Naming the scheme does not replace reading the contract and checking the rights of the parties.

New development and payment documents

For a project under construction, propose verifying the seller’s registration, the signatory’s authority and the permit documents for the specific project. The general phrase “developer license” does not explain which documents have been reviewed. Include questions about court disputes, the company’s financial position and the possibility of verifying the relevant information.

The official environmental report service (Smart EIA Plus) of the agency (ONEP) offers a search for reports (IEE/EIA/EHIA) and a check of their status. The existence of the service does not mean an environmental assessment is mandatory for every property. Ask the lawyer to determine whether the documents apply to your project.

When representatives are involved, agree on verifying powers of attorney and the scope of authority. For payments, review documents for transferring money to buy a condo. The law firm ThaiLawOnline mentions bank confirmations of receipt for small transfers as an alternative type of document; therefore, one should not declare the foreign exchange transaction certificate (FET/FETF) to be the only document for all circumstances.

How much lawyer services cost: packages and timelines

Compare the cost of legal services for buying a condo together with the list of works. The same word “support” does not explain whether contract negotiations, a trip to the land office or additional requests are included. First determine the desired result, then compare offers.

Below are examples based on the published rates of the law firm ThaiLawOnline. These are offers from a specific contractor, not an average price in Thailand.

On the general rates page, the option for 19,900 baht is described with the buyer’s own presence at registration. Do not take it as an offer with the lawyer’s personal attendance. The composition of the premium package for 34,900 baht also cannot be reconstructed from the name: request a separate description.

This clearly shows why the price cannot be compared separately from the conditions. A package may be called full, yet registration still requires the buyer’s participation. Therefore it is more useful to ask “who will do each task” than to rely on the name.

According to the law firm ThaiLawOnline’s statement, the verification benchmark is 2–5 working days. This is the contractor’s timeline, not a government standard or a guarantee for any transaction. In the proposal, ask to specify when the countdown starts and what happens if documents are missing.

Different payment models can be discussed:

• fixed fee for an agreed list of works;
• hourly rate, with a procedure for recording time and agreeing on expenses;
• percentage fee, with a clear basis for calculation and the scope of the service.

For each offer, find out the cost of translations, trips, registration, additional checks and work in case of a dispute. Check the current cost before accepting an offer; a published rate does not replace a cost estimate for your property.

What to record in the contract with the law firm

The contract with the contractor should help you understand what you are paying for and how you accept the work. A lawyer for buying real estate in Thailand is needed for a specific engagement, so in the service description it is best to name the property, the intended transaction structure and the expected result. Do not leave these questions to an oral agreement.

Propose recording in writing:

• Subject of the engagement and the contractor: which purchase is being reviewed, who conducts the work and signs the opinion.
• Checks and exclusions: which documents and information are examined, and which works are paid separately.
• Timeline and conditions for its start: which materials must be received and how delays are communicated.
• Fees and surcharges: the fee, reimbursable expenses and procedure for agreeing additional work.
• Format of the result: written opinion, attachments, recommendations and unresolved questions.
• Language of communication: who explains the documents and is responsible for translation.
• Registration support: who prepares the set, who attends and whether separate powers of attorney are needed.
• Actions in case of a problem: to whom the opinion is sent and what requires a new engagement.

Separately agree on communications during the work and the transfer of final documents. If the contractor finds a gap, ask them to explain its consequences and possible next steps. Correcting documents, negotiations and conducting a dispute should not be considered included without agreement.

The purchase agreement itself must also be subject to analysis. Ask for a review of payment terms, transfer of the property, liability for delays, termination and stated guarantees. For reservations, it is especially useful to discuss in advance the consequences of discovering a problem and the terms for handling the deposit.

Separate the fee from taxes and government fees. The government memo gives the following base values:

• registration fee — 2% of the appraised value of the property;
• specific business tax — 3.3%, including local tax;
• stamp duty — 0.5% of the appraised value.

These are base values from the memo, not a final calculation for your purchase or confirmation of current exemptions. They cannot be automatically added together or used to determine who pays without analyzing the transaction. For a detailed calculation, use the article taxes and fees when buying real estate.

Risks of buying without verification and alarming promises

The risks of buying real estate without a lawyer are better discussed as specific verification questions. This approach helps make a decision without intimidation or assumptions about an inevitable loss of money. Ask the contractor to explain which information is needed to answer and what has not yet been established.

Agree on checking the following scenarios:

• unclear rights of the seller or the authority of a representative;
• pledges, seizures and other encumbrances;
• disputed boundaries and access to the plot;
• incomplete set of permit documents;
• lack of confirmation of the foreign quota;
• contract terms that limit your options in case of breach of obligations;
• unagreed bank documents and payment procedures.

A separate issue is buying through a proposed corporate structure. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) reported, jointly with the agency (DBD), stepped-up action against nominee companies, including the tourist areas of Koh Samui and Phangan. This is described in the official announcement of the Department of Special Investigation.

The announcement refers to an analysis of data on more than 11,426 companies with distribution by risk level. This is the volume of data analyzed, not the number of proven violators. If a company is offered to you as a way to structure the purchase, ask for an independent explanation of the structure and its risks.

When choosing a contractor, be wary of the following answers and actions:

• The lawyer guarantees a “100% secure transaction” — no one can promise this
• Pushes you to sign and leaves no time to study the documents.
• Refuses to name the responsible specialist or explain their qualifications.
• Hides connections with the seller or does not discuss a possible conflict of interest.
• Asks for payment without supporting documents.
• Promises a lease extension without reviewing the specific contract.

The legal overview from Addleshaw Goddard discusses a provision of the Civil and Commercial Code prohibiting lease terms exceeding 30 years, and the dispute over renewal. This does not lead to a universal conclusion about any renewal mechanism. A promise of automatic lease continuation should be reviewed against the contract, rather than accepted as a guaranteed outcome.

If the review has identified a problem, we recommend acting in sequence:

1. Obtain a written opinion describing the risk.
2. Keep documents, payment confirmations and correspondence.
3. Agree on which explanations or corrections to request.
4. Determine the next steps and the need for a separate engagement.

Do not count on a deposit refund in advance: the possibility depends on the contract and circumstances. Additional practical recommendations are collected in the article how to reduce fraud risk in Thailand.

Lawyer or realtor: how to divide responsibilities

A realtor and a lawyer perform different functions. An agent’s engagement can include finding properties, arranging viewings and negotiating the price. The legal engagement covers document checks, verification of the parties’ rights and the purchase terms.

To keep responsibilities from getting lost between specialists, agree on the division of work:

It is better to clarify in advance the source of the realtor’s fee and the parties’ connections. Do not assume that every agent is paid solely by the seller. Ask them to explain who pays for their work and what obligations they accept toward you.

A recommendation from a law firm via an agent can be a useful starting point. After that, conduct your own comparison: qualifications, relevant experience, independence, scope of services and cost estimate. The selection procedure is discussed in detail in the article how to choose a realtor in Thailand.

Agree on passing information between participants as well. For example, new terms agreed with the seller should be sent to the legal contractor before signing. This is a practical recommendation that helps keep negotiations and document review connected.