To check an off-plan project in Thailand, match what the developer tells you against the official record before each payment. Start with the 3 official registers listed below, then ask the questions that the 67 projects we track in Thailand most often leave open.
The check most often missing in Thailand: deposit protection (not public for 67 of 67 projects).
- Official registers
- What projects here leave out
- Questions to ask the developer
- The law, quoted
- Free check
- Questions and answers
Step 1: official registers in Thailand#
ONEP Smart EIA Plus (EIA register) (Thailand)
- What it proves
- Whether an environmental impact assessment for the project has been approved. Larger condominium and hotel projects need an approved EIA before construction can be permitted.
- What it does not prove
- That a building permit was issued, or that what is being built matches the approved design.
- How to search
- Search Smart EIA Plus (in Thai) by project name, developer or province, and compare the approved unit count and floors with the brochure.
Open the official register (opens in a new tab) eia.onep.go.th
From our register guide.
Department of Lands (Thailand)
- What it proves
- The title deed type (Chanote is full title), the registered owner and any mortgages or leases, held at the local land office. Foreigners cannot own land, but can own condo units within the building’s 49% foreign quota.
- What it does not prove
- Off-plan sales: a condo unit is registered only at transfer, so nothing shows your purchase before completion.
- How to search
- Take the title deed number to the local land office, or find the parcel in the Department of Lands LandsMaps service.
Open the official register (opens in a new tab) www.dol.go.th
From our register guide.
DBD company register (Thailand)
- What it proves
- The developer company exists, its directors, registered capital and filed financial statements.
- What it does not prove
- That the company owns the land or has any licence for the project.
- How to search
- Search the company name or 13-digit registration number in DBD DataWarehouse, reached from the DBD website.
Open the official register (opens in a new tab) www.dbd.go.th
From our register guide.
Step 2: what off-plan projects in Thailand leave out#
Share of the 67 tracked projects that make each check public, and how many are confirmed by an official register or independent source.
| Check | Public | Not public | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit or licence number | 30 (45%) | 37 | 32 |
| Deposit protection | 0 (0%) | 67 | 0 |
| Construction progress | 22 (33%) | 45 | 20 |
| Site or floor plans | 45 (67%) | 22 | 0 |
| Developer track record | 41 (61%) | 26 | 27 |
| No guaranteed-return language | 63 (94%) | 4 | 0 |
Step 3: questions to ask the developer#
The questions our research agent raised most often for projects in Thailand, with how many projects they apply to. Each one points at a gap in what the developer publishes.
- No deposit protection published: will your payments go into an escrow or trust account in your name? (67 of 67 projects)
- No building permit mentioned: ask for the number before paying. (57 of 67 projects)
- Completion advertised for 2028: does progress on site match? (57 of 67 projects)
- A permit number is published: does it exist in the official register and match this plot? (18 of 67 projects)
- An extension is promised: is it a binding clause with a fixed price, or only a promise? (16 of 67 projects)
- Leasehold: is the lease registered, and is the base term the one advertised? (13 of 67 projects)
- A building permit is claimed: does it exist in the official system and match this plot? (10 of 67 projects)
- Title type not stated: leasehold, freehold or a company structure? (10 of 67 projects)
Send them in writing: ask the developer with our template.
The law, quoted#
2 rules from official sources. Read them with the quoted text.
- Foreigners together may own at most 49% of the unit area in a Thai condominium (Condominium Act B.E. 2522 (1979), as amended, Section 19 bis)
- A foreign buyer must show the money came from abroad (Condominium Act B.E. 2522 (1979), as amended, Section 19 ter (5))
Step 4: run a free check#
Paste the project page into the free desk review: our agent reads it, quotes every claim and looks it up in the registers above where it can. Then see all projects we track in Thailand.
Questions and answers#
What should I check before buying off-plan in Thailand?
The permit or licence number, deposit protection, construction progress, plans, the developer's track record and any guaranteed-return promise. In Thailand the check most often missing is deposit protection (67 of 67 tracked projects do not publish it).
Is there an official register to check an off-plan project in Thailand?
Yes: ONEP Smart EIA Plus (EIA register); Department of Lands; DBD company register.
What do developers in Thailand most often leave unanswered?
No deposit protection published: will your payments go into an escrow or trust account in your name? (67 of 67 projects).
Are you the developer, or did we get something wrong? Send documents and we add your reply or correct the record: right of reply · corrections. Every figure here is computed from the open dataset (/data/bali-cases.json, CC BY 4.0) and changes when the data changes.