Property due diligence in Thailand
Due diligence is the stage where a plot either proves itself or quietly falls apart. It is the least glamorous part of a purchase and the part most worth paying for.
Title and ownership
Thai land is held under several different documents, and they do not carry equal rights. The strongest is a full title deed; weaker documents may limit transfer or use.
Your lawyer confirms the document at the Land Office, checks the registered owner against identity documents, and looks at the history of the plot.
Boundaries and size
The size on paper and the size on the ground do not always match, particularly where land has been subdivided or fenced informally. A survey resolves this.
Neighbouring structures, walls and driveways that encroach are easier to deal with before purchase than after.
Access
Legal access to a public road is not the same as a track people have used for years. Access may depend on a registered servitude or on a neighbour's goodwill, and those are very different positions.
Access width also affects what can be built and whether construction vehicles can reach the site.
Encumbrances and planning
Mortgages, court seizures, usufructs, leases and servitudes are registered against land and must be checked.
Zoning colour under the town plan, plus rules on slope, elevation, setbacks from the shoreline and building height, determine what can lawfully be built. Confirm these with a licensed professional before purchase, not after.