Can foreigners buy land on Koh Samui?

Not in their own name, in general. Foreigners usually take a registered lease (up to 30 years), or a Thai spouse or Thai buyer holds the land. Using nominee shareholders in a Thai company to get round the rules is illegal.

A chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor, โฉนด) is a full title deed with GPS-surveyed boundaries — the most secure type of land title in Thailand.

What should I check before buying land on Koh Samui?

The title deed at the Land Office, legal road access (a registered servitude if it crosses another plot), electricity and water, slope, height and coastal building limits, and any existing leases or mortgages.

Land for sale on Koh Samui

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Owners and agents list land on Koh Samui on KOHlist with the plot size (in rai, ngan and square wah or square metres), the declared title-deed type and the area. Popular areas include Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut and Fisherman's Village, Maenam, Bang Por, Choeng Mon, Nathon, Lipa Noi, Taling Ngam and Hua Thanon.

Title deed matters most: a chanote (โฉนด) is the strongest title with surveyed boundaries; Nor Sor 3 Gor is common and can be sold but has less precise boundaries; weaker documents like Sor Kor 1 can't normally be transferred. The deed type on a listing is as declared by the seller — check it at the Land Office.

Foreigners generally can't own land in their own name in Thailand. The usual routes are a registered lease of up to 30 years, or owning a building separately from the land. Always use an independent lawyer, and check legal road access, slope and building rules before paying a deposit.

Questions

Can foreigners buy land on Koh Samui?: Not in their own name, in general. Foreigners usually take a registered lease (up to 30 years), or a Thai spouse or Thai buyer holds the land. Using nominee shareholders in a Thai company to get round the rules is illegal.
What is a chanote?: A chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor, โฉนด) is a full title deed with GPS-surveyed boundaries — the most secure type of land title in Thailand.
What should I check before buying land on Koh Samui?: The title deed at the Land Office, legal road access (a registered servitude if it crosses another plot), electricity and water, slope, height and coastal building limits, and any existing leases or mortgages.

Guides

Buying property in Thailand as a foreignerWhat foreigners can and can't own on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao — condos, leases, houses and companies — and how to buy safely.Thai title deeds explained: chanote, Nor Sor 3 Gor, Nor Sor 3, Sor Kor 1The different Thai land documents, what each lets an owner do, and why it matters when buying or leasing land on the islands.Leasehold in Thailand: 30-year leases, renewals, usufruct and superficiesHow registered leases work on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, what "30+30" really means, and the other rights you can register.

Same on other islands