Land Code
Governs title documents, registration of rights and foreign land-holding restrictions.
Southern Thailand — Surat Thani
Land & Real Estate in Surat Thani
Title due diligence, sale, lease and transfer at the Land Office
Why Surat Thani matters are different
Surat Thani contains two distinct settings: a mainland centre for agriculture and commerce, and the islands of Samui, Phangan and Tao where tourism and foreign investment drive the economy. Legal work differs accordingly, from crop-sale and agricultural land contracts to hotel leases, condominium transactions and documentation for foreign residents on the islands.
End-to-end property legal work: title and encumbrance checks, drafting sale or lease agreements, attending the Land Office for transfer, and lawfully structuring foreign ownership.
- The islands have their own provincial court, so cases arising there need not be filed on the mainland — a significant saving in travel time.
- Some island plots fall under slope limits or specific zoning rules that affect building permits more than buyers expect.
- Many island accommodation businesses operate under long leases, so whether the lease is registered materially affects the value of the business.
- Travel between the islands and the mainland means hearing dates and document delivery need more lead time than elsewhere.
Courts and authorities in Surat Thani
Jurisdiction and filing requirements should be confirmed for each matter, because practice and required attachments differ between offices.
| Court / authority | What it handles |
|---|---|
| Surat Thani Provincial Court, Koh Samui Provincial Court and Surat Thani Municipal Court | Civil and criminal cases by jurisdiction, with the islands served by their own provincial court |
| Surat Thani Juvenile and Family Court | Family and juvenile matters |
| Labour Court Region 8 | Labour cases in the upper southern region |
| Surat Thani Provincial Land Office and branch offices, including the Koh Samui branch | Land, condominium and lease registration on the mainland and islands |
| Surat Thani Immigration Office and Koh Samui immigration checkpoint | Extensions of stay and residence notification for foreign nationals |
| Surat Thani Legal Execution Office | Enforcement of judgments in the province |
| Surat Thani Provincial Commercial Office | Local company registration services |
What we handle in Surat Thani
- Title, servitude, mortgage and land-use restriction checks
- Drafting and reviewing sale and long-lease agreements
- Foreign condominium ownership and foreign quota
- Usufruct, habitation and other registrable rights
- Transfer at the Land Office and calculation of fees and taxes
- Land disputes, boundaries and survey issues
The local process, step by step
- 1Obtain the title deed and inspect the Land Office record
- 2Check encumbrances, zoning and legal access
- 3Draft the contract with safe deposit arrangements
- 4Schedule and complete the Land Office transfer
- 5Deliver title documents and summarise post-transfer tax duties
Documents to prepare
- Land title deed or condominium ownership certificate
- ID card, house registration or passport of the parties
- Marriage certificate or spousal consent where applicable
- Debt-free certificate from the condominium juristic person
- Foreign Exchange Transaction record for foreign condo buyers
Points to watch
- Foreigners generally cannot own land in Thailand; nominee company structures are unlawful.
- Never pay a deposit before verifying the title and encumbrances at the Land Office.
- Leases over three years must be registered or are enforceable for only three years.
Typical timeframe
Title due diligence usually takes a few business days; the Land Office transfer is generally completed in a single day when documents are complete.
Timeframes are indicative and depend on the court calendar and the authority handling the matter in Surat Thani.
Areas of Surat Thani we regularly serve
เมืองสุราษฎร์ธานีเกาะสมุยเกาะพะงันเกาะเต่าพุนพินกาญจนดิษฐ์ไชยาบ้านนาสารท่าฉางดอนสัก
Laws that govern this matter — Surat Thani
Summarised for general understanding only. The application of each provision depends on the facts of your case.
Civil and Commercial Code
Covers sale, lease, hire-purchase, servitude, usufruct and mortgage.
Condominium Act B.E. 2522 (1979), as amended
Sets the foreign ownership quota in condominiums and the duties of the juristic person.
Example situations and how they are handled — Surat Thani
These are constructed examples used to explain procedure. They are not client matters, and no outcome is implied or guaranteed.
Illustrative scenario: unclear access to the land
Situation: A buyer finds access crosses a neighbouring plot with no registered servitude.
Usual approach: Check the cadastral map and land office records before any deposit, and make registering a servitude a condition precedent. (Hypothetical.)
Advice for your specific situation — Surat Thani
Buyers of land and houses
- Verify the title at the land office, not just the seller’s copy.
- State clearly in the contract who bears transfer fees and taxes.
Foreigners considering Thai property
- Foreign land ownership is tightly limited; nominee arrangements carry high legal risk.
- Long leases must be registered to bind beyond the statutory short term.
Every matter — what to do in the first 7 days
- Gather every original document in one place, keep scanned copies, and note the date you received each one.
- Write a dated timeline — the date you received a notice or learned of the event usually starts the limitation or appeal clock.
- Do not sign a settlement, debt acknowledgement or withdrawal before a lawyer reviews it — it may extinguish existing rights.
- Preserve digital evidence unaltered (full screenshots, original files, emails with headers) — edited files are easy to challenge.
Questions people in Surat Thani ask
A dispute arose on Koh Samui — must it be filed in Surat Thani city?
Not necessarily — Koh Samui Provincial Court has its own jurisdiction. Venue follows the defendant’s domicile and where the cause of action arose; if both are on the island, the case can be filed there directly.
Buying an island hotel business held under a lease — what must be checked?
Check whether the lease is registered, the remaining term, whether the leasehold can be assigned to the buyer, renewal conditions, and the accommodation licence, which attaches to both the building and the operator. If the leasehold cannot be assigned, the agreed price may not reflect what the buyer actually receives.
Can a foreigner on Koh Phangan execute documents for use in their home country?
Yes, but the document must be designed to the receiving authority’s requirements from the outset — language, form of signature certification and the order of certification — because corrections usually mean restarting the whole process, which costs more time on an island.
Can a foreigner buy a condominium?
Yes, within the building’s foreign quota and with the required evidence of inbound foreign currency.
Must I attend the Land Office in person?
You may appoint us by power of attorney on the Land Department form, properly certified — and legalised if executed abroad.
Same service in other provinces
Land & Real Estate — BangkokLand & Real Estate — Chiang MaiLand & Real Estate — PhuketLand & Real Estate — ChonburiLand & Real Estate — Khon KaenLand & Real Estate — Udon ThaniLand & Real Estate — Nakhon RatchasimaLand & Real Estate — SongkhlaLand & Real Estate — Chiang RaiLand & Real Estate — RayongLand & Real Estate — NonthaburiLand & Real Estate — nationwide
Other legal services in Surat Thani
Litigation & Court Representation — Surat ThaniCivil, criminal, labour, family, succession and land disputesCorporate & Commercial — Surat ThaniIncorporation, contracts, foreign business, BOI and complianceImmigration & Foreign Nationals — Surat ThaniVisas, work permits, residency and lawful statusIntellectual Property — Surat ThaniTrademarks, copyright, patents and enforcementFamily & Succession — Surat ThaniMarriage, divorce, custody, wills and estate administrationMediation, Arbitration & Enforcement — Surat ThaniResolving disputes outside court and making awards effectiveNotarial Services & International Documents — Surat ThaniSignature and document certification, translation, consular and embassy legalisationBOI Promotion & Foreign Business Licensing — Surat ThaniStructuring foreign investment in Thailand correctly from day one.
Discuss your Surat Thani matter with an attorney
Tell us the facts and we will explain which authority applies, what documents are needed and the realistic timeframe.