CHECKING WHO YOU BUY FROM
How to Check a Developer in Thailand
or a villa operator.
Before you reserve or pay, find out who you are dealing with: the company, the land, the approvals, the projects it has already delivered and how your money is protected. This guide sets out what to check, where the information comes from and who checks it.
Start Your ConsultationTHE SHORT ANSWER
Check the company and the project.
A developer’s brochure and sales team describe the project they want to sell. Independent checks look at the company behind it, the land it is built on, the permits it holds and what happened on its earlier projects.
WHY IT MATTERS
Most of the price may be paid early.
When you buy off-plan, or sign up to a rental programme, you rely on the developer or operator for years. Problems are much harder to fix after you have paid, so the checks belong before the reservation or the first payment.
SIX CHECKS
What to check before you pay.
Not every purchase needs all six. A resale unit in a finished building needs fewer than an off-plan villa with a rental programme.
- 01
The company
Confirm the selling company’s registration, its directors and who can sign for it. Compare the name on the contract with the name on the brochure.
- 02
The land
Find out who owns the project land and whether it is mortgaged. A mortgage to the bank financing construction is common; what matters is how your unit is released from it at transfer.
- 03
The approvals
Ask for copies of the building permit and the other approvals the project needs, such as an environmental approval or a land allocation permit for a housing estate.
- 04
The track record
Look at projects the developer has finished: were they delivered close to the promised date, and how are they maintained today?
- 05
Disputes
Ask our lawyer to search court and insolvency records where they can be searched, and look for unresolved complaints from earlier buyers.
- 06
Your payments
Find out whether your payments are held in escrow, covered by a bank guarantee or paid straight to the developer, and what the contract says if the project stops.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
Sources and who checks them.
Some information is public, some has to be requested from the developer and some needs a lawyer’s search.
| Check | Where the information comes from | Who checks it |
|---|---|---|
| Company registration | The Department of Business Development publishes registration details, directors and filed accounts, mostly in Thai. | We gather and summarise it. Authority to sign goes to our lawyer. |
| Land title and mortgages | The title deed and the Land Office records. | Our lawyer. |
| Building permit and other approvals | Copies requested from the developer, checked against the issuing authority where possible. | We request and track them. Our lawyer reviews them. |
| Completed projects | Site visits, building management and owners we can speak to. | We visit and report what we see and hear, with dates. |
| Court and insolvency records | Court and insolvency searches, where available. | Our lawyer. |
| Payment protection | The contract, and any escrow or bank guarantee documents. | Our lawyer advises. We check that payments match the agreed milestones. |
| Rental operator | The operator’s registration, licences and management agreement, and villas it already runs. | We gather and visit. Our lawyer reviews the agreement. |
VILLA OPERATORS
If someone else runs the rental.
Many Phuket and Koh Samui villas, and some condos, are sold with a management or rental programme. The operator is often a different company from the developer, so check it separately: its registration, how long it has run villas, and whether it holds the licences short-term letting can require.
Visit villas it already manages, and ask what owners receive, how often and with what statements.
GUARANTEED RETURNS
Ask who pays the guarantee.
A guaranteed rental return is only as strong as the company giving it. Ask which company pays it, from what money, for how many years, and what happens if the operator stops paying or the agreement ends.
Our lawyer reviews the management agreement and how it links to your purchase contract.
WARNING SIGNS
When to slow down.
None of these proves a problem on its own. Each is a reason to ask more questions before you pay.
- 01
Pressure to pay now
A deposit demanded before you have seen the contract, or a discount that expires today.
- 02
Payments to a person
A request to pay a personal account, or a company other than the one named in the contract.
- 03
Missing documents
No copy of the title deed or permits, or promises that they will follow after you pay.
- 04
Workaround structures
Advice to hold land through Thai shareholders on paper only, or other routes our lawyer has not reviewed.
HOW BAANWARD HELPS
Research with sources and dates.
We gather the available information on the developer, the project and any operator, visit the site and completed projects, request missing documents and follow up the claims that matter to your decision. Your summary lists sources, dates and the questions still open.
WHAT STAYS WITH OUR LAWYER
Legal status and the contract.
Title, authority to sell, approvals, court searches and the contract are verified by our lawyer under a separate legal engagement, with the fee in your quote. Research is not a guarantee of a developer’s future performance.
QUESTIONS
Checking a developer, in plain terms.
Can I check a Thai developer myself?
Partly. Company registration details are published online by the Department of Business Development, mostly in Thai. Land records, court searches and approvals usually need a lawyer or documents from the developer.
Is a large or listed developer automatically safe?
A listed company publishes more information, which helps. It does not guarantee the timing or quality of a particular project, so the project checks still apply.
Can you check the credentials of a villa operator in Phuket?
Yes, within the agreed scope. We gather the operator’s registration details, ask for its licences and management agreement, visit villas it already runs where possible and refer the agreement to our lawyer.
Is escrow required when buying off-plan in Thailand?
Thailand has an escrow law, but using it for a property purchase is usually optional. Ask whether your payments go into escrow, are covered by a bank guarantee or go straight to the developer, and have our lawyer review what the contract says.
Does a good track record mean my project will finish on time?
No. It shows how the developer handled earlier projects. Each project has its own funding, approvals and contractor, so we also compare the site with the construction and payment schedule.
How do I check a property agent or broker in Thailand?
Thailand has no general licence for property agents, so check the agency’s company registration, how long it has operated and whether it belongs to a recognised industry association. Ask who pays its commission, since an agent usually works for the seller or developer, and get every promise written into the contract. Our lawyer acts for you, not for the seller.
When should the checks be done?
Before you reserve or pay a deposit. Where you want it, some checks can be repeated before large instalments or before transfer.
YOUR THAILAND PROPERTY PARTNER