Foreign quota in 2026: which Bangkok buildings still have it

The rule, restated

Thai law caps foreign ownership of any condominium at 49% of total floor area. This is calculated on the building's total saleable square meters, not unit count. Once 49% is reached, any further foreign sale is blocked at the Land Department until a Thai owner sells back into the foreign quota or vice versa.

Where it actually constrains buyers

• · Off-plan launches: developers track foreign vs Thai quota in real time. Foreign-quota units often price at a 5 to 10% premium and sell faster. Late-stage off-plan with no foreign quota is essentially a Thai-only listing.
• · New-build completions: at handover, buildings with high foreign uptake during launch often have minimal remaining foreign quota. We see this most in Sukhumvit corridor full-service stock.
• · Resale: a foreign-quota unit can only resell to another foreigner OR convert to Thai-quota by selling to a Thai. Most central Bangkok foreign-quota units stay in foreign hands across resales because Thai buyers prefer Thai-quota stock at a discount.

What we check before recommending a unit

Three documents from the developer or seller's lawyer: (a) current foreign-quota balance for the building, (b) the specific unit's foreign / Thai status, (c) any pending foreign-quota releases at later phases of the project. Without these, we don't recommend.

When the quota gets you a deal

Buildings nearing foreign-quota cap sometimes release pending Thai-quota units back to foreign at a discount when a Thai buyer cancels late in the process. We track these. They're rare but profitable.

The quota isn't a tax. It's a clock. Buildings with quota remaining today won't have it in 12 months. Time matters more than people realize.