Condominium vs apartment in Thailand: the difference and the formats of housing on offer

In Thailand a condominium and an apartment are different things. A condominium is a building whose units are sold freehold, including to foreigners within 49% of the floor area. An apartment is a building with one owner, where a unit can only be taken on a long lease. Confuse the words and you buy the wrong right.

How does a condominium differ from an apartment?

In a condominium every unit has its own title, registered at the land department. An apartment building belongs entirely to one owner, and the occupant gets nothing more than a lease.

The unit owners in a condominium, foreigners and Thais alike, jointly own the land under the building and the common areas. The developer buys the plot and transfers it to the owners.

What kinds of condominium are there?

• Branded: run by a hotel brand, with a concierge and services.
• Low-rise boutique projects: a few buildings and not many units.
• High-rise: towers such as the 46-storey building in Pattaya.
• Resort-style: complexes laid out like a hotel.

For prices by example, see our piece on four projects in Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok.

What comes with an ordinary project?

More than a buyer from Dubai expects. Pools around the perimeter of the building, a co-working space, a shared kitchen and a gym became standard in Thai mass-market projects back in the 2000s.

Ground-floor units often have their own direct access to the pool. A low-rise project near the beach may include a 45-metre pool, a sauna, a kids' club and a rooftop garden.

Why are there so many small studios in Thailand?

The fashion for small floor areas took hold after 2017, when Chinese buyers entered the market in large numbers. Studios of 22–27 sq m became the best-selling product.

The same buildings have large flats too.

How are villas and townhouses sold?

A villa is usually sold finished: with a pool, fit-out and furniture. The buyer walks into a furnished show home and sees what they will get.

Legally it is a different product. Land is not sold to foreigners: the plot is leased for 30 years, while the building itself can be registered as owned.

For what to write into such an agreement, see our piece on the five clauses of a lease contract. Commercial property is available to foreigners on a leasehold basis only.

What to ask the seller

• whether it is a condominium or an apartment building;
• whether it is freehold or leasehold;
• how much foreign quota is left in the building;
• who manages the building and what the service charge is.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Thailand freehold?

No. An apartment in the Thai sense is a building with a single owner, and its units are only rented. Freehold units are sold in condominiums.

What share of a condominium can foreigners own?

Up to 49% of the total unit floor area. The remaining 51% belongs to Thais or is sold to foreigners on a leasehold basis.

Who owns the land under a condominium?

All the unit owners jointly, together with the building's common areas.