Invest to Stay: Long-term Visa Options for Property Investors
Thailand’s Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa programme has matured into one of Southeast Asia’s most comprehensive residency-by-investment pathways – and for foreign nationals considering real estate in the kingdom, the 2025 and 2026 rule changes have made property investment a more direct and attractive route to a 10-year renewable stay. What the LTR Visa Is and […]
The Structures That Worked, Until It Didn’t
Thailand’s nominee problem has long been discussed in hushed tones at expat dinners and property expos, with some less scrupulous agents offering various means of holding land, including nominee companies and the infamous, and illegal, 30+30+30 lease. In a recent YouTube interview with Jett Gunther, available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rr_OIgims0, partner Dr. Paul Crosio brought that conversation […]
Practical Guidance for Persons Under Investigation for Nominee Shareholding in Thailand
This guidance is intended for foreign nationals and Thai nationals who are the subject of a formal investigation into alleged nominee shareholding arrangements. Such investigations are conducted under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) and, increasingly, in coordination with the Anti-Money Laundering Office. 1. Nature of the Allegations A nominee shareholder arrangement occurs when […]
Short Term Rentals in Thailand: Legal Prohibition, Penalties and the Landed Property Exception
The Hotel Act: Why Nightly Rentals Are Illegal Thailand’s legal framework imposes strict prohibitions on short term rental activity, particularly within condominium buildings. Under the Hotel Act B.E. 2547 (2004), any property rented on a nightly or weekly basis for compensation is classified as a hotel. Section 4 of the Act defines a hotel as […]
The BOI’s New Quarterly Reporting Rule: What Every Promoted Company Needs to Know Before 31 May
Thailand’s Board of Investment has revised its project monitoring schedule, replacing twice-yearly progress reports with quarterly submissions. The first deadline is 31 May 2026. This note sets out what has changed, what the legal instruments say, and what promoted companies should do now. On 30 March 2026, the Board of Investment published two instruments that […]
Thailand’s 3 Million Baht Investment Visa: A Potential Long-Term Stay Pathway – awaiting regulations
Thailand’s proposed 3-million-baht investment visa could create a new pathway for long-term stay through property investment. But with key regulations and certification procedures still unpublished, the program remains unavailable for now.
Thailand’s Kratom Regulations: A Comprehensive Overview (2026)
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree indigenous to Southeast Asia, including Thailand, where its leaves have been used in traditional practices for centuries. In Thailand and neighboring regions, fresh or dried leaves are commonly chewed, brewed as tea, or utilized in folk medicine to alleviate fatigue, manage pain, reduce anxiety, and ease opioid withdrawal […]
Navigating Foreign Participation Regulations for Thai Companies.
Since 1 January, 2026, the Department of Business Development (DBD) has enforced a series of administrative orders that systematically dismantle the era of passive nominee shareholding[reference:0]. This shift from form-based to substance-based verification fundamentally alters how companies are registered, amended, and audited in the Kingdom. The following is a comprehensive overview of these reforms, the […]
A Critical Examination of Freehold and Leasehold Condominium Ownership for Foreign Nationals
The intersection of foreign property ownership and succession rights in Thailand presents a complex legal landscape. For the foreign investor or retiree seeking to acquire a condominium in the Kingdom, the distinction between freehold and leasehold tenure is not merely a matter of preference but a fundamental determinant of whether one’s heirs will ultimately benefit […]
Regulation of Short-Term Condominium Rentals in Thailand
Thailand has witnessed a fundamental shift in travellers’ accommodation preferences, driven largely by digital platforms such as Airbnb. This evolution has led many condominium owners to attempt to profit from the demand for short-term stays, effectively transforming residential units into de facto hotel rooms. Under current Thai legislation, the daily or weekly rental of a […]