Leasehold — what it means
Leasehold is a registered 30-year lease with renewal options, typically 30+30+30. It costs less to enter than freehold, involves fewer currency formalities, and while the foreign quota lasts a unit can often be converted to freehold.
How a leasehold is registered
A property lease longer than three years is enforceable against third parties only once registered at the Land Department: the entry is made on the back of the title deed. The maximum registrable term is 30 years; the familiar 30+30+30 formula means one registered term plus contractual renewal options, each of which is executed as a new registration.
What to check in a leasehold contract
The key clauses: renewal terms and guarantees, the right to assign and to inherit, what happens to the lease if the land is sold or the lessor goes bankrupt, how registration fees are split, and the rule for converting to freehold if foreign quota frees up. A renewal option is an obligation of a contract party, not a state guarantee — so who gives it matters.
How this works with us
We hand the leasehold contract to a lawyer before any deposit is paid: we verify the lease registration at the Land Department, the wording of the renewal and assignment options, and the right to convert to freehold if quota becomes available. In the group’s projects, the conversion and renewal terms are written into the contract — and we show them to the client before reservation, not after.
Frequently asked questions
Is leasehold ownership?
No — it is a long-term registered lease: the lessor remains the owner, while the lessee holds a protected right of use for the contract term with renewal options.
Can a leasehold unit be sold or inherited?
Yes, if the contract includes assignment and inheritance rights — clauses to verify before the deal. An assignment is completed by registration at the Land Department.
What happens after 30 years?
The registered term ends, and renewal is executed as a new registration under the option in the contract. How reliable that option is depends on who gives it, so lawyers assess the lessor, not just the text.
Freehold vs leasehold in Thailand: full comparison →
Primary source: Thailand Department of Lands
See it on a real property
Terms matter when there is an actual deal behind them. We will show how this one works on a project from the catalogue — documents and numbers included.
Browse the catalogue