Thai Ministry of Commerce Reviews Foreign Land Ownership Data

According to a report by Prachachat Business, the Thai Department of Business Development (DBD) has released new data regarding foreign land ownership. By integrating records with the Department of Lands, officials identified 36,277 legal entities with foreign investment that currently hold land title deeds across Thailand.

Of these entities, 31,516 are classified as Thai legal entities, as foreign shareholding in these companies does not exceed 49%. The DBD is now conducting a screening process to monitor for potential 'nominee' arrangements—a practice where foreign interests may use local entities to circumvent land ownership restrictions—across 16 specific provinces identified as high-risk areas.

For residents and expatriates, this development highlights the government's ongoing efforts to increase transparency in property ownership and corporate compliance. While the vast majority of these entities operate within the 49% foreign ownership threshold, the increased scrutiny on nominee structures may lead to stricter regulatory oversight for businesses involving foreign capital.

It remains to be confirmed which specific provinces are under the most intense scrutiny and what concrete enforcement actions, if any, will be taken against entities found to be in violation of existing land ownership laws. The government has not yet released a timeline for the completion of this screening project.