# Buying property in Thailand from India

Source: https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/buyers/india
Updated: 2026-11-14
Publisher: Thailand Property Investor (Omnia Capital Group)

## The short answer

Indian buyers can own a Thai condominium freehold in their own name, within the 49% foreign quota, and can hold a villa on a registered lease of up to 30 years. They cannot own land. A resident of India may send up to USD 250,000 a financial year under the Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, which sets the pace of a larger purchase. Indian passport holders enter visa-free for 30 days, and buying property alone gives no right to stay.

## Key points

- Indian buyers can own a condominium freehold but must lease, not own, the land under a villa.
- The Liberalised Remittance Scheme allows a resident individual to send up to USD 250,000 in each April to March financial year, across all remittances combined.
- Relatives resident in India may consolidate their remittances to buy a property abroad, provided each complies with the scheme.
- Indian passport holders are on Thailand's 30-day visa exemption list, in force since 15 September 2026.
- Thai Airways and IndiGo fly non-stop to Bangkok from across India, and IndiGo also flies to Phuket and Krabi.
- The India and Thailand double taxation agreement has been in force since 5 January 2016.

An Indian buyer in Thailand works within two sets of rules. Thailand decides what a foreigner may own and how the money must arrive. India decides how much a resident may send abroad and how the income is taxed at home. Neither is difficult, but India's remittance limit sets the timetable for the purchase, so plan the payments before you choose the property.

## Why Indian buyers choose Thailand, and where

The flight is about four hours, Indian passports are on the visa exemption list, and a foreigner can own a Thai condominium in their own name. Indian buyers also tend to buy larger homes. They registered 237 condominium transfers in 2025, and their units were the largest of the leading foreign nationalities, at about 76 sqm on average. Indian buyers were also prominent in Phuket in the first half of 2026.

The flight network points to four places:

- [Bangkok](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/bangkok), served non-stop from eight Indian cities by Thai Airways. Freehold condominiums along [Sukhumvit](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/bangkok/sukhumvit) and in [Lumpini and Ploenchit](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/bangkok/lumpini-ploenchit), for city use and long lets.
- [Phuket](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/phuket), with IndiGo non-stops from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata. Managed condominiums and leasehold villas around [Bang Tao](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/phuket/bang-tao) and [Kamala](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/phuket/kamala), and [branded residences](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/branded-residences-in-thailand).
- [Pattaya](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/pattaya), by road from Bangkok's airports, with sea-view condominiums in [Wongamat](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/pattaya/wongamat) and [Pratumnak](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/pattaya/pratumnak).
- [Krabi](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/areas/krabi), which IndiGo serves non-stop from Delhi.

Our guide to [where to buy in Thailand](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/where-to-buy-in-thailand) compares them.

## What is different from buying in India

- **No land.** A foreigner may own a condominium unit freehold, provided foreign ownership in the building stays within 49% of the total floor area of all units. A villa stands on land held on a registered lease, which the Civil and Commercial Code limits to 30 years. Renewal clauses are contractual promises, not registered rights. See [freehold vs leasehold](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/freehold-vs-leasehold).
- **No company route.** Holding land through a Thai company with nominee shareholders is an offence under the Land Code, and the Department of Lands issued a circular on nominee holdings in May 2026. See [Thai company ownership risks](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/thai-company-ownership-risks).
- **The money must arrive as foreign currency.** The Land Office will not register a foreign freehold condominium without bank evidence that the price came from abroad.
- **Short lets are restricted.** Lets of under 30 days need a hotel licence. See [short-term rental rules](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/short-term-rental-rules).

## Getting there

In winter 2026/27 Thai Airways flies non-stop to Bangkok from New Delhi, 28 a week, and Mumbai, 14 a week, as well as from Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Gaya. IndiGo flies to Bangkok from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar, and added Gaya from 26 October 2026. Air India Express began flying Bengaluru to Phuket in June 2026.

Thai Airways' Delhi to Bangkok flight is timetabled at four hours. Where there is no direct flight, Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui are a short connection from Bangkok. See [flights and getting around](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/living/flights-and-getting-around).

## How long you can stay

India is on Thailand's list of 60 countries and territories whose passport holders are admitted without a visa for 30 days, in force since 15 September 2026. One extension of up to 30 days is available at an immigration office for THB 1,900.

Buying property alone gives no right to stay. For longer stays:

- The [Destination Thailand Visa](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/visas/destination-thailand-visa): five years, multiple entry, for remote workers and approved activities.
- [Thailand Privilege](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/visas/thailand-privilege): paid membership with no investment condition.
- The [retirement visa](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/visas/retirement-visa) from age 50. Indian nationals are not on the list for the 10-year O-X.
- The [Long-Term Resident visa](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/visas/long-term-resident-visa), where Thai property held in your own name can count toward the investment test.

## Moving the money

Two sets of rules apply: India's on the way out and Thailand's on the way in.

**Leaving India.** The Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme lets a resident individual send up to USD 250,000 in each financial year, April to March, for permitted current and capital account transactions. The limit covers all remittances combined. Once it is used, it cannot be refreshed in the same year, even if money comes back. The conditions:

1. Designate one branch of an authorised dealer bank for all capital account remittances. You should have held an account with that bank for at least a year, and it may ask for the previous year's statements to see where the money came from.
2. Quote your PAN and complete Form A2, declaring the purpose and that the funds are your own.
3. Remit in any freely convertible foreign currency.
4. Relatives resident in India who each comply with the scheme may consolidate their remittances to buy property abroad.

The RBI does not envisage banks lending to fund a capital account remittance under the scheme. A property priced above one person's allowance can be funded by family allowances combined, or over more than one financial year. An off-plan payment plan, with instalments spread across construction, can fit that pattern. See the [off-plan buying process](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/off-plan-buying-process). Ask your bank whether tax will be collected at source on each remittance, and how to set it against your income tax.

**Arriving in Thailand.** The Thai bank that receives the money converts it to baht and issues a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form for each transfer of USD 50,000 or more, or a bank certificate of the foreign currency purchase for smaller amounts. The Land Office needs these to register a foreign freehold condominium. Send the money from your own account, give the purpose as the purchase of the named unit, and keep the originals. The full procedure is in [sending money to Thailand](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/sending-money-to-thailand).

**Coming back.** Under the scheme, income from an investment may be retained and reinvested, but foreign exchange received or realised and not reinvested must be repatriated within 180 days. Plan for that before you [sell](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/selling-property-and-repatriating-funds).

## Indian tax in outline

India taxes by residential status:

- **Resident and ordinarily resident.** Taxed on worldwide income, so Thai rent and a gain on sale belong on the Indian return.
- **Resident but not ordinarily resident, or non-resident.** Taxed on income that arises in India, not on income earned and received outside it.
- **Foreign assets.** An ordinarily resident individual who holds assets abroad must file a return. Undisclosed foreign income or assets are taxed at 30% under the Black Money Act, and failure to disclose carries a penalty of INR 1 million.

Thailand taxes the rent first: 15% is withheld from rent paid from Thailand to a non-resident owner. Anyone who spends 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year becomes a Thai tax resident and is assessed differently. The double taxation agreement between India and Thailand was signed on 29 June 2015 and has been in force since 5 January 2016.

How relief for Thai tax is given on your Indian return, and how a gain is computed in rupees, are questions for a chartered accountant with cross-border experience. The Thai side is set out in [rental income and tax](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/rental-income-and-tax).

## A short buying checklist

1. Map the remittances against the payment plan, by financial year and by family member, before you reserve.
2. Decide between a freehold condominium and a leasehold villa.
3. Appoint an independent Thai lawyer and commission [title and due diligence checks](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/title-deeds-and-due-diligence).
4. For a condominium, obtain written confirmation that the unit is within the [foreign quota](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/condominium-foreign-quota).
5. Remit through your designated bank in foreign currency, and collect the Thai bank's forms.
6. Budget for [property taxes and buying costs](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/property-taxes-and-buying-costs).
7. Take advice from a chartered accountant on Indian tax and disclosure before completion.

## Questions

### Can I buy a property that costs more than USD 250,000?

Yes, within the scheme's rules. The limit is per person and per financial year. Relatives resident in India can consolidate their remittances for a property purchase, and a payment plan that runs across more than one financial year spreads the remittances. The RBI does not envisage Indian banks lending to fund a capital account remittance under the scheme. Agree the schedule with your bank before you sign.

### I am a non-resident Indian. Does the limit apply to me?

The scheme is for individuals resident in India. If you live and earn abroad, you normally send the purchase money from the country where you live, under its rules. If any of the money sits in Indian accounts, take advice on how it can be moved. Your Indian tax position also depends on your residential status.

### How long can I stay in my property each year?

On the visa exemption, 30 days per entry, with one extension of up to 30 days at an immigration office. For longer stays, look at the Destination Thailand Visa, Thailand Privilege, the retirement visa from age 50 or the Long-Term Resident visa. Indian nationals are not on the list for the 10-year O-X retirement visa.

### Will the rent be taxed twice?

Thailand withholds 15% from rent paid from Thailand to a non-resident owner. An ordinarily resident Indian then declares the rent in India. The treaty exists to stop the same income being taxed in full in both countries, but relief is claimed through your Indian return, so ask a chartered accountant how it applies to you.

### Do the RBI rules affect selling later?

Under the scheme, income from an investment may be kept and reinvested, but foreign exchange that is received or realised and not reinvested must be brought back and surrendered within 180 days. Ask your bank how that applies to rent and to sale proceeds before you buy.

## Sources

- [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand: revision of visa exemption schemes effective 15 September 2026 (status as of 31 August 2026)](https://image.mfa.go.th/mfa/0/TkZZJfspCP/Visa_Exemption_Scheme/PR-eng.pdf)
- [Siam Legal: Thailand approves end of 60-day visa-free stay (updated 28 September 2026)](https://siam-legal.com/travel-to-thailand/thailand-approves-end-of-60-day-visa-free-stay/)
- [Reserve Bank of India: Liberalised Remittance Scheme, frequently asked questions](https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/FAQView.aspx?Id=115)
- [Revenue Department of Thailand: double tax agreements (India, signed 29 June 2015, in force 5 January 2016)](https://www.rd.go.th/english/766.html)
- [Revenue Department of Thailand: Revenue Code, Section 50 (withholding on rent paid to non-residents)](https://www.rd.go.th/english/37749.html)
- [PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: India, taxes on personal income (reviewed 12 May 2026)](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/india/individual/taxes-on-personal-income)
- [PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: India, tax administration (reviewed 12 May 2026)](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/india/individual/tax-administration)
- [The Nation: Thai Airways sets 66-route winter schedule (3 September 2026)](https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40070584)
- [Aviation and Defence Universe: IndiGo to connect Gaya and Bangkok from 26 October 2026 (24 August 2026)](https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/indigo-to-connect-bihar-to-thailand-announces-non-stop-flights-between-gaya-and-bangkok-effective-26-october-2026/)
- [Tribune via Newswav: Air India Express begins Bengaluru to Phuket flights (1 June 2026)](https://newswav.com/article/bengaluru-phuket-direct-flights-begin-air-india-express-expands-thailand-ne-A2606_MGAogm)
- [FlightStats: Thai Airways TG 324, Delhi to Bangkok, scheduled 13 November 2026](https://www.flightstats.com/v2/flight-details/TG/324)
- [Pattaya Mail: who really buys Thai condos, citing REIC data (14 October 2026)](https://www.pattayamail.com/business/who-really-buys-thai-condos-568269)
- [The Nation: CBRE on foreign buyers in Bangkok and Phuket (19 August 2026)](https://www.nationthailand.com/business/property/40069998)
- [Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chicago: O-X long-stay visa, eligible nationalities](https://cgchicago.thaiembassy.org/en/page/visa-oaox)
- [Tilleke & Gibbins: Condominium Act, the 49% foreign ownership limit](https://www.tilleke.com/insights/inheritance-condominium-units-foreigners-thailand)
- [Siam Legal law library: Civil and Commercial Code, Section 540 (30-year lease limit)](https://library.siam-legal.com/?p=107)
- [Juslaws & Consult: Land Code Sections 86 and 113 and the Department of Lands circular of May 2026](https://www.juslaws.com/articles/foreign-nominee-land-holding-thailand-department-of-lands-circular-may-2026)
- [Siam Legal: foreign currency requirements for purchasing a condominium](https://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-law/foreign-currency-requirements-for-purchasing-a-condo/)