Explainers

Plain-language explainers on Thai property and consumer law, many based on decisions of the Thai Supreme Court.

Property · 14 Oct 2026Your rights when buying a house or condo in ThailandHow Thai law protects people buying a house or condo: the standard sale contract, promises made by the developer, defect periods and consumer court powers.
Consumer rights · 14 Oct 2026What the sales agent promised is part of your contractUnder Thai consumer law, what a developer or its sales staff promised when you signed counts as part of the contract, even if it was never written down.
Housing estates · 14 Oct 2026What a housing estate developer must provide: utilities, maintenance and handoverWhat Thai law requires of housing estate developers: utilities built to plan and maintained, the maintenance guarantee and handover to residents.
Property · 14 Oct 2026Eight checks before buying a house in a housing estateChecklist before buying in a Thai housing estate: land history, location, developer, allocation permit, utilities, common fees, contract, brochure.
Property · 14 Oct 2026Who pays the transfer taxes when you buy from a developer?A developer made the buyer pay its income tax, business tax and stamp duty. Supreme Court decision 6921/2558 ordered 193,510 baht repaid.
Housing estates · 14 Oct 2026Flooded because the land was filled too low: punitive damages for the buyerA developer filled the land 60 cm below its approved plan and the house flooded. The Supreme Court awarded 1 million baht plus 500,000 punitive.
Condominiums · 14 Oct 2026A condo brochure is part of the contract: the entrance road caseA developer advertised a private entrance road, then gave it to the public. The Supreme Court awarded 50+ condo buyers about 100,000 baht each.
Condominiums · 14 Oct 2026Beach path and access road shown in the brochure are common propertyA developer said the beach path and access road were not common property. Thai Supreme Court decision 5351/2562 ordered both transferred.
Condominiums · 14 Oct 2026A generator room under your condo: the court awarded 3 million bahtBuyers found a generator room under their condo, not the parking shown in the contract. The court awarded 1 million baht plus 2 million punitive.
Condominiums · 14 Oct 2026Condo smaller than the contract says: getting money back for missing spaceA condo unit was 6.72 m² smaller than agreed. The Supreme Court struck down the no-adjustment clause and ordered a refund of 165,298 baht (decision 4566/2561).
Condominiums · 14 Oct 2026Can a developer keep your whole condo deposit?A buyer walked away from a condo after paying 1.27 million baht. The Supreme Court let the developer keep only half the deposit (decision 8942/2554).
Consumer rights · 14 Oct 2026Can a car dealer keep your whole deposit?A buyer paid a 1 million baht car deposit, then refused delivery. The Supreme Court let the dealer keep 100,000 baht and refund 900,000 baht.
Consumer rights · 14 Oct 2026Defective new car: the dealer and the manufacturer can both be liableA seven-month-old car lost power when accelerating. The Supreme Court held the dealer and the manufacturer jointly liable for 750,000 baht (decision 4567/2561).
Property · 14 Oct 2026Developer hid a planned expropriation: the buyer got the price back and damagesA developer sold a house knowing the land would be expropriated. The Supreme Court undid the sale, ordered a refund of 3.59 million baht and added damages.
Land · 14 Oct 2026Bank refuses a loan because the estate road still belongs to a dissolved developerA bank refused a building loan because the road in front of the plot still belonged to a dissolved developer. How the road can be made public, step by step.