Foreign Quota allows a foreigner to fully own a condominium unit in Thailand. This right is established under the Condominium Act. The law allows foreigners to purchase condominium units under full ownership (freehold), but there is one key restriction: foreigners may own no more than 49% of the total floor area of all units in a condominium. The remaining at least 51% must be held under the Thai quota.
For a foreign buyer, Foreign Quota means the ability to register the condominium unit in their own name and obtain full ownership rights.
The quota is calculated by floor area, not by the number of units
It is often assumed that the 49% rule applies to the number of units in a condominium. In fact, the law calculates the quota based not on the number of units, but on their total floor area. Therefore, two projects with the same number of units may have very different amounts of Foreign Quota available.
In areas that are particularly popular with foreign buyers, such as Jomtien and Pratumnak, Foreign Quota tends to be taken up more quickly. This is especially common in coastal developments: by the time a project is completed, there may no longer be enough Foreign Quota available to register a unit in a foreign buyer’s name.
On the other hand, when purchasing a resale condominium, it may sometimes be possible to buy a unit currently held under the Thai quota and transfer it into Foreign Quota — provided that sufficient Foreign Quota is available in the condominium at the time of the transaction.
Therefore, the question “Is there Foreign Quota available in this condominium?” is essentially a simplified way of asking: “Can this particular unit be registered under Foreign Quota at the time of the transaction?”
What part of the property market is available to foreign buyers?
Since the quota is calculated separately for each condominium, availability varies significantly depending on the popularity of the development.
As of September 2026, our catalogue includes 391 condominiums for sale in Pattaya. The table below shows how many of them are available under Foreign Quota.
The conversion is based on an approximate exchange rate of 2.63 RUB per THB as of September 2026.
Around half of the resale condos listed in our catalog are directly available to foreign buyers under the Foreign Quota. The rest are registered under the Thai quota.
Central Pattaya has the most limited availability: less than one-third of the listings in our catalog are under the Foreign Quota. This is another reason why the city center is largely an investment and rental market, while the choice of condos available for direct foreign ownership is more limited.
You can find a filtered selection on our website foreign quota condos in Pattaya page.
How to Check the Foreign Quota for a Specific Unit
Request a Letter from the Juristic Person
Every completed condominium is managed by a Condominium Juristic Person, which keeps records of how much of the building’s total unit area is already owned by foreigners. It can issue a letter confirming that registering a particular unit in a foreign buyer’s name will not exceed the 49% limit.
The Land Office relies on this confirmation when registering foreign ownership. Without it, the unit cannot be transferred to a foreign buyer under the Foreign Quota.
What the Letter Should Include
- The exact unit number, floor, and area according to the title deed (Chanote);
- Confirmation that registering the unit in a foreigner’s name will not exceed the 49% limit;
- The date of issue, as the quota balance can change whenever another unit is registered;
- The signature of an authorized representative of the Condominium Juristic Person and the official stamp;
- A debt-free letter is also usually required. It confirms that the owner has no outstanding common area maintenance fees or other amounts due to the condominium, including the sinking fund where applicable. This document can also be obtained from the condominium office.
Why the Date Matters
A letter issued several months before the transaction may no longer reflect the current situation. Other units may have been transferred to foreign owners in the meantime, reducing or using up the remaining quota.
For this reason, an up-to-date confirmation should be obtained shortly before the transfer at the Land Office. The sale and purchase agreement should also require the seller to provide the necessary current documents.
The process is slightly different for new developments. Before the condominium is completed and the Condominium Juristic Person is established, the developer keeps track of the Foreign Quota. The contract should therefore clearly state that the unit is being purchased under Foreign Freehold ownership. It is also worth checking the developer’s track record with foreign ownership in its previous projects.
Foreign Quota When Buying a Resale Condo
If the seller is a foreigner and the unit is already registered in their name under Foreign Freehold, transferring it to another foreign buyer is generally straightforward. The unit is already part of the building’s foreign quota, so the overall foreign-owned area does not increase.
If the owner is a Thai citizen or Thai company, the unit is currently under the Thai quota. To transfer it into a foreign buyer’s name, there must be sufficient Foreign Quota available in the condominium at the time of registration.
In popular beachfront developments, the remaining quota may already be fully used. This is why Foreign Quota availability should always be checked before paying a deposit.
What If the Foreign Quota Is Full?
Leasehold
A leasehold is a long-term lease registered with the Land Office. A lease can be registered for a maximum term of 30 years at a time. It is not subject to the condominium’s 49% Foreign Quota limit and may offer a lower entry price.
A full comparison of Foreign Freehold and Leasehold is available in our article freehold vs leasehold in Thailand.
Thai Company
Another option is to purchase the property through a Thai company. While this can remove the Foreign Quota limitation, it comes with additional responsibilities and risks, including annual accounting and reporting, as well as possible scrutiny if Thai shareholders are considered nominees or the company has no genuine business activity.
The Simple Answer
In most cases, the most practical solution is to choose a similar property where the Foreign Quota is still available. Pattaya has enough resale and new-build options that there is usually no need to structure the purchase around quota restrictions.
Checklist Before Paying a Deposit
The full process — from reservation to registration at the Land Office — is explained step by step in our guide how to buy property in Thailand as a foreigner.
Conclusion
The Foreign Quota is one of the key things to check before buying a condominium in Thailand. If Foreign Quota is available, a foreign buyer can register the unit in their own name under full freehold ownership. However, availability depends on the specific condominium and can change over time.
When buying a resale condo, it is therefore important to check not only the price, condition of the property, and the seller’s documents, but also whether that specific unit can be registered under the Foreign Quota on the date of transfer.
If a unit is currently under the Thai quota, it does not necessarily mean that a foreign buyer cannot purchase it under Foreign Freehold. The key is whether there is enough Foreign Quota available in the building at the time of the transaction.
