For decades, investors and property developers in Thailand have relied on indirect property transfers as a tax-efficient exit strategy. Rather than selling real estate directly, owners would transfer the shares of the company holding the property. Although the economic outcome remained largely the same, the legal structure created significantly different tax consequences.
Accounting & Legal in Thailand
Thailand's Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa programme offers one of the few legal pathways through which qualifying foreign investors may acquire residential land in Thailand. Under Section 96 bis of the Land Code, eligible foreigners who invest at least THB 40 million in approved assets may apply to own up to one rai (1,600 square metres) of land for residential purposes.
Thailand’s Land and Building Tax (LBT) regime has entered a new phase. The temporary relief measures and transitional tax reductions that accompanied the implementation of the Land and Building Tax Act B.E. 2562 (2019) have largely concluded, placing property owners, developers, and investors under heightened scrutiny. At the same time, local authorities, particularly the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), have significantly enhanced their assessment capabilities through the use of satellite imagery, geospatial mapping technologies, and artificial intelligence-driven land-use analysis.
Thailand's luxury condominium market continues to attract substantial foreign investment, particularly in Bangkok's prime residential districts. While significant attention is often given to the acquisition process, the eventual sale and repatriation of proceeds can present a far more complex legal, tax, and compliance challenge.
Thailand's restrictions on direct foreign ownership of land have long encouraged the development of sophisticated leasehold structures, particularly within Bangkok's luxury residential and mixed-use property sectors. A common arrangement involves a 30-year registered lease, often accompanied by a contractual commitment or renewal mechanism for an additional 30 years. For decades, many investors focused primarily on the legal and commercial aspects of these structures, while the accounting consequences remained relatively straightforward.
Thailand's digital asset landscape has entered a new phase of maturity. While the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continue to prohibit the use of cryptocurrencies as a general medium of payment for goods and services, digital assets remain legally tradable investment assets when transacted through licensed digital asset operators. As a result, a growing number of foreign investors are utilizing cryptocurrency holdings as a source of funds for acquiring high-value Bangkok real estate, particularly luxury condominiums and investment-grade properties.
