Land for Sale in Thailand — Plots, Title Deeds & the Rai Calculator

Land in Thailand, explained simply.

Buying land here works differently than back home — foreigners usually can’t own land outright, plots are measured in rai and wah instead of acres, and the title deed decides how safe the buy is. Here’s what to know, what every land listing should tell you, and a converter to turn any plot size into units you understand. Unbiased information, not legal advice.

Rai, ngan & wah → acres, sqm & sqft

Type any plot size in the unit it’s quoted in and see it in every other unit, plus the official Rai–Ngan–Wah figure that appears on a Thai title deed.

Amount

Unit

That is 1 rai, 0 ngan, 0 wah on a Thai title deed.

Rai ไร่

Ngan งาน

400

Talang Wah ตร.ว.

1,600

Square metres m²

17,222

Square feet ft²

0.3954

Acres acre

0.16

Hectares ha

Quick reference: 1 rai = 4 ngan = 400 talang wah = 1,600 m² ≈ 0.395 acre. 1 ngan = 100 wah = 400 m². 1 talang wah = 4 m². 1 acre ≈ 2.53 rai. 1 hectare = 6.25 rai.

The big rule: foreigners usually can't own land

This is the part that surprises most buyers. Under Thai law, a foreigner generally cannot own land in their own name. What they can do is control it legally in a few ways: sign a registered long-term lease (commonly 30 years), own through a genuinely Thai-majority company, qualify for a Board of Investment or treaty exception, or buy land in a Thai spouse’s name. You can also own the house on the land while leasing the land underneath it. Paper-only “nominee” Thai shareholders are illegal, so any structure must be set up properly by a licensed Thai lawyer.

The title deed decides everything

Not all land papers are equal. A Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor) is the gold standard — a true ownership deed with GPS-surveyed boundaries, the safest to buy. Nor Sor 3 Gor confirms the land but with a looser survey; Nor Sor 3 is weaker again; and possessory papers like Sor Kor 1 are not ownership and are risky. Wherever you can, buy Chanote land, and always check the real deed in person at the Land Office before any money moves.

How land is measured here

Forget acres. Thailand measures land in rai, ngan and talang wah. One rai is 1,600 m² (about 0.4 acre), made of 4 ngan; one ngan is 400 m² (100 wah); and a talang wah is just 4 m². Deeds show size as a Rai–Ngan–Wah number like “2-1-50”. City land is often priced per wah, rural land per rai — so a “price per wah” can be hard to picture. The converter above fixes that: put in the size and compare like with like.

What a good land listing tells you

A serious land listing should answer all of these before you ever visit. These are the attributes BAANLYY tracks on land we’re asked to market:

Title deed typeChanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor), Nor Sor 3 Gor, Nor Sor 3 — the deed sets how safe and sellable the plot is.

Plot sizeShown in Rai–Ngan–Wah and in square metres, so you can compare with acres or sqft using the converter below.

Price basisPer talang wah, per rai, or total — central city land is usually priced per wah, rural land per rai.

Ownership routes availableLeasehold (commonly 30 years), Thai-company freehold, or Thai-name — which legal paths the seller will support.

Land-use / zoning colourThailand's zoning map colours control what you may build (residential, commercial, agricultural, conservation).

Road access & frontageLegal access to a public road, and how many metres of road frontage the plot has — landlocked plots are a red flag.

UtilitiesWhether mains electricity and water reach the plot, and how far away they are if not.

Topography & floodFlat or sloped, fill needed, and the plot's flood history in the rainy season.

NearbyDistance to the BTS/MRT, schools, hospitals and the coast — the same context BAANLYY shows on every area page.

Check this before you buy

Verify the deed and owner at the Land Office; confirm the surveyed boundaries match the deed; make sure there is legal road access (landlocked plots are common and a headache); read the zoning colour to learn what you may build; look for registered leases, mortgages or rights of way; and check flood history and whether mains power and water reach the plot. Use your own independent, licensed Thai lawyer — not one the seller hands you — for due diligence.

Frequently asked

Can foreigners buy land in Thailand?As a rule, no — a foreigner cannot own land in their own name under the Thai Land Code. There are a few legal ways foreigners still control land: a long-term registered lease (commonly 30 years), ownership through a genuinely Thai-majority company, certain Board of Investment or treaty exceptions, or land held in the name of a Thai spouse. You can, however, separately own the house or building that sits on the land while you lease the land itself. Nominee arrangements — where Thai shareholders only hold shares on paper for a foreigner — are illegal, so always use a licensed Thai lawyer to set up any structure.

How is land measured in Thailand?Thailand uses rai, ngan and talang wah, not acres. One rai is 1,600 square metres, which is about 0.4 of an acre. One rai contains 4 ngan, and one ngan contains 100 talang wah, so a rai is 400 talang wah. A talang wah (square wah) is 4 square metres. On a title deed the size is written as a Rai–Ngan–Wah figure, for example '2-1-50' means 2 rai, 1 ngan and 50 wah. Use the converter on this page to turn any plot size into the units you think in.

What is a Chanote title deed?A Chanote (officially Nor Sor 4 Jor) is the strongest land title in Thailand. It is a true ownership deed with the boundaries fixed by an accurate GPS survey, which makes it the safest type to buy. Weaker documents like Nor Sor 3 Gor confirm a right to the land but with a less precise survey, while Nor Sor 3 is weaker still. Possessory papers such as Sor Kor 1 are not ownership deeds and are risky. Where possible, buy land that holds a Chanote, and always verify the deed in person at the local Land Office before paying anything.

How much is land in Bangkok and Thailand?Land prices swing enormously by location. A plot in central Bangkok near a BTS or MRT line is among the most expensive land in the country, priced per talang wah, while rural or island land is a fraction of that and often priced per rai. Because the units differ from what most foreign buyers know, a price 'per wah' can be hard to compare — the calculator here lets you convert any plot to square metres or acres so you can compare like with like. BAANLYY shows information and tools only and never quotes a guaranteed market price.

What should I check before buying land in Thailand?Verify the title deed type and the owner at the Land Office; confirm the surveyed boundaries and that they match the deed; check legal road access, since landlocked plots are common and a real problem; review the zoning or land-use colour to see what you may build; look for registered leases, mortgages or rights of way attached to the land; and check flood history and whether mains electricity and water reach the plot. Always use an independent, licensed Thai lawyer — not one introduced by the seller — to run due diligence before you commit funds.

Can I own the house but not the land?Yes. Thai law treats a building and the land under it as separate, so a foreigner can legally own a house or structure while holding only a long-term lease on the land beneath it. This is done by registering the building ownership separately and signing a registered land lease, often with options to renew. It is one of the more common ways foreigners hold a villa or house long-term, but the details matter, so have a licensed Thai lawyer draft and register the documents.

Keep going

Can foreigners buy?Villas & houses Investor tools The buying process Browse areas

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Tell us the deed, size and area and we’ll help you read it straight — no pressure, no paid placement.

List or ask about land Ownership rules

General information and a self-input converter only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Foreign land-ownership rules are strict and structures must be set up by a licensed Thai lawyer. Always verify the title deed and surveyed area at the Land Office before committing funds. BAANLYY is an information and tools platform and never takes paid placement.

Land in Thailand, explained simply.

Rai, ngan & wah → acres, sqm & sqft

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The big rule: foreigners usually can't own land

The title deed decides everything

How land is measured here

What a good land listing tells you

Check this before you buy

Frequently asked

Looking at a plot of land?