1. Ask for the unit's chanote
The title deed shows the current owner and whether the unit was last transferred under foreign or Thai quota. A unit held by a Thai owner can still move to foreign quota if the building has space.
Buying guide
Foreign quota in Wongamat condos: the 49% rule, checked building by building
The one number that decides whether a foreigner can own a given unit outright — and how to confirm it before money moves.
What foreign quota is
Updated October 2026
Under the Condominium Act, foreigners can own at most 49% of the total floor area of a condominium building; the other 51% must be Thai-owned. That 49% is the foreign quota. A unit sold 'foreign freehold' uses part of it; once a building's quota is full, a foreigner can only buy a Thai-quota unit through a 30-year lease or a Thai company — neither is the same as owning it.
The quota is not a fixed list of units. It is a running balance held by the building's juristic office, and it changes with every transfer. That is why the only answer that counts is a dated letter from the juristic office — not the seller's word, not the listing. We obtain that letter for every Wongamat building before a client reserves.
Buildings in this guide: all 16 Wongamat buildings · The Riviera Wongamat · Zire Wongamat · Northpoint · The Palm Wongamat Beach · Baan Plai Haad · Arom Wongamat
How to check a building's quota
Four steps, in this order.
2. Get the juristic letter
The juristic office issues a letter stating the foreign-owned percentage today and confirming the unit can transfer to a foreigner. It is dated and valid for the transfer. No letter, no deposit.
3. Bring the money in properly
Funds must arrive from abroad in foreign currency with a Foreign Exchange Transaction form (FET) for each transfer of USD 50,000 or more, in the buyer's name, stating the purpose. The Land Office will ask for it.
4. Transfer at the Land Office
Buyer, seller (or proxies), juristic letter, FET, passport, and the fees: transfer fee 2% (usually split), withholding tax, and stamp duty or specific business tax depending on the seller's holding period.
When the quota is full
What the alternatives really mean.
Leasehold (30 years)
A registered lease on a Thai-quota unit, renewable by contract but not guaranteed by law. Cheaper, resale is harder, and the lease ends with the term. Fine for a home you will use; weak as an investment.
Thai company
A Thai limited company (51% Thai shareholders) holding the unit. Legal when the company is real; a nominee structure is not, and the authorities audit them. Annual accounting costs apply. Ask a lawyer, not an agent.
Wait for quota to open
Quota frees up when a foreign-owned unit sells to a Thai buyer. In popular Wongamat towers it rarely does; in larger or older buildings it happens. We keep a list of clients waiting per building.
Price difference
In buildings where quota is scarce, foreign-quota units are usually asked higher than the same unit under Thai quota. Developers of new projects price the two quotas separately — Soondri's official list shows both.
Wongamat buildings: how we check
No published number is reliable for long — quota moves with every transfer.
Established towers
Riviera Wongamat, Zire, Northpoint, The Palm, Wong Amat Tower, Baan Plai Haad, Arom: large buildings where quota changes monthly. We request the juristic letter the week you decide, not the week you first ask.
Low-rise and small buildings
Ananya Beachfront, Serenity, Wongamat Residence, Wongamat Privacy, The Cove, The Sanctuary: fewer units, so one sale can open or close the quota. Timing matters.
New projects
Soondri Wongamat and The Riviera Palm Beach sell foreign and Thai quota at separate prices from the developer's allocation. We hold the current allocation sheet — ask.
Our rule
We never take a reservation fee on a 'foreign freehold' unit without the juristic letter in hand. If a seller refuses to obtain it, we tell you to walk.
Foreign quota questions
Can a foreigner own a condo in Thailand outright?
Yes — a condominium unit in foreign quota is freehold, registered in your own name at the Land Office. Houses and land are different: foreigners cannot own land.
How do I know if a Wongamat building has foreign quota left?
Only the juristic office's dated letter tells you. Listings that say 'foreign quota' are often out of date. Send us the building name and we will get the current figure before you commit.
Is a Thai-quota unit cheaper?
Often, yes, in buildings where foreign quota is scarce. But a foreigner can only hold it by lease or through a company, which is why the discount exists.
Does the 49% rule apply to new projects like Soondri?
Yes. The developer sells a fixed number of foreign-quota units; when they are gone, the remaining units are Thai quota. The VVIP price list we hold shows both quotas with separate prices.
Guides & articles
General information about Thai condominium law as of 2026, not legal advice. Confirm your own case with a licensed Thai lawyer before transferring funds.
Checking a specific building?
Tell us the building and the unit. We'll get the juristic office's current foreign-quota letter and the chanote, and tell you plainly whether a foreigner can own it.
