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SUWANVARA LAWFIRM
Suwanvara Law Firm Co., Ltd.
SUWANVARA LAWFIRM
SUWANVARA LAWFIRM
Suwanvara Law Firm Co., Ltd.
Chiang Rai

Property Lawyer in Chiang Rai for Foreigners — Condominiums, 30-Year Leases, Villas, Due Diligence

Foreigners can own freehold condominiums in Thailand (subject to the 49% per-building foreign quota), can hold a 30-year registered lease on land or villas, and can hold land via a properly structured Thai company — but each route has trade-offs that need to be explained before any deposit is paid. We act for foreign buyers across the full transaction: title search, off-plan contract review, escrow and deposit safeguards, transfer at the Land Office, and the post-completion paperwork (FET, tax, foreign-quota letter).

Scope of property lawyer for foreigners work in Chiang Rai

  • Condominium freehold — foreign quota verification, FET (Foreign Exchange Transaction) compliance
  • 30-year registered leases on land or houses, with renewal option drafting
  • Villa purchase via lease + corporate ownership — risk-mapped structuring
  • Title due diligence — Chanote/NS3K/NS3 verification, encumbrance check, boundary survey
  • Sale-and-purchase agreement review and negotiation
  • Off-plan project review — developer financial health, escrow protections, completion guarantees
  • Land Office transfer attendance and FET letter preparation

Process

  1. 1Initial consultation — confirm ownership route fits your visa, tax, and exit plans
  2. 2Title search and physical site verification (we visit, not just photos)
  3. 3Contract review and negotiation — deposit safeguards, completion conditions, penalties
  4. 4FET coordination with your bank if buying a condo (funds must arrive as foreign currency)
  5. 5Land Office attendance on transfer day — translation, signing, tax payment
  6. 6Post-transfer: foreign-quota letter, household registration, ongoing common-area fees setup

Documents to prepare

  • •Passport (signed pages + valid visa pages)
  • •Existing title deed and any prior sale-purchase contract
  • •Seller's ID and household registration (we collect on your behalf)
  • •Proof of funds and FET-eligible bank transfer slips (for condo purchases)
  • •Power of attorney if you can't attend the transfer in person

About our team in Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is Thailand's northernmost province, bordering both Myanmar and Laos. Trade through the Mae Sai, Chiang Saen, and Chiang Khong crossings — the latter on the 4th Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge — shapes the disputes that actually arise here: customs, cross-border sale contracts, debt recovery where the debtor sits in another jurisdiction, and land disputes across highland farming and tourism areas.

Suwanvara Law Firm has run border-trade and customs matters continuously from its Mekong-side base in the Northeast, so the procedures, paperwork, and workable lines of defence in this class of case are familiar ground. We work in Thai, English, and Chinese, run the file from our Khon Kaen head office and Bangkok branch, and travel to appear at the Chiang Rai Provincial Court as scheduled.

Courts we appear at in Chiang Rai

  • •Chiang Rai Provincial Court
  • •Thoeng Provincial Court
  • •Chiang Rai Juvenile and Family Court
  • •Region 5 Labor Court (Chiang Mai)

Mueang Chiang Rai, Mae Sai, Chiang Saen, Chiang Khong, Mae Chan, Phan, Thoeng, and the areas continuing into Phayao and Chiang Mai

Related services in Chiang Rai

All Chiang Rai attorneys/criminal/civil/labor/family/business/tax

Contact our Chiang Rai attorneys

We serve clients across Thailand. Initial consultation.

ContactWhatsApp+66 92 254 2045

Further reading — related guide

Real Estate Guide
Buying Property in Thailand as a Foreigner 2026: Condos, Land Leases & the Purchase Process

Can foreigners buy property in Thailand? A clear guide to lawful condominium freehold, long-term leases for land and villas, the purchase process and title due-diligence, taxes, inheritance, and pitfalls like nominee ownership. Written by a 40-year Thai law firm.

11 min read
Read the guide

Frequently asked questions — property lawyer for foreigners in Chiang Rai

3 questions answered

It's a hard statutory limit, enforced at the Land Office. If the foreign quota is already full, you cannot register a foreign freehold — you'd take a long lease instead (often 30 years + renewal, structured at the same building). Always verify the foreign quota status with a current letter from the juristic person before paying any deposit. Buying without this letter is the most common foreign-buyer mistake we see.
You can own a house through a properly structured Thai company that holds the land, but the structure is scrutinised. The Land Office and Department of Business Development have, in recent years, increased checks on companies that appear to be set up primarily to hold land for foreigners. We will not set up a structure that depends on nominee Thai shareholders — that's an offence under the Foreign Business Act and the Land Code. We will set up legitimate, operating Thai companies where land ownership is incidental, and we will say no when a structure isn't lawful. Other firms may say yes; ask why.
A condominium can pass to your heirs by will, but if the heir is also foreign, they must qualify for the foreign quota or sell within a reasonable period (commonly understood as one year). A leasehold transfers only if the lease contract was specifically drafted to allow assignment on death — most aren't. We prepare or review Thai wills for foreign property owners as a standard add-on; doing this *before* the purchase saves disputes after.