I live in chiang mai, in a large condominium block were there are shops for rent and sale downstairs (ground floor) I realise that thai's have to own 51% of the block. But if i want to buy the shop downstairs to start my own export business is it possible to have the shop in my name ?? as part of 49% farang ownership ??

thanks dell

I believe your condo juristic person or management company should know if it fit's the foreign quota.

shop units are not part of a condo quota ( well i hight doubt it )

most are for rent

shop units are not part of a condo quota ( well i hight doubt it )

most are for rent

???? I have UK friends in Pattaya who own a restaurant in their name on the ground floor of my condo block. I have heard somewhere before that ground floor shops in condo blocks cannot be owned by farangs, but maybe there are local laws relating to this. But maybe a shop in a condo block converted from a normal condo is not the same thing that is meant in the posting.

I am 99% sure that ground floor shops in condos cannot be farang owned.

I'd like to see the part of the law that says Farang can not own ground floor shops.

I'd also like to see the part of the law that says that shop units (and commercial units?) are not part of the quota.

I don't think either of there statements are correct.

I have also heard that ground floor units, whatever they may be, are in Thai or company name only. Something to do with the land issue.

Don't know if right or wrong.

Something from Japan rings a bell regarding condos where only the ground floor units own the land and those in the air sort of own the air space. Maybe something similar ?

AFAIK, a farang cannot own (freehold) any ground floor units (including condos), because those units are touching the land of the Thais! You could do a leasehold/company ownership etc but not own freehold.

Simon

AFAIK, a farang cannot own (freehold) any ground floor units (including condos), because those units are touching the land of the Thais! You could do a leasehold/company ownership etc but not own freehold.

Simon

Ah, if this is true, I now see where (my) confusion rests. My farang friend's shop is not in contact with the ground - below him is a car park - his shop is actually on the 2nd floor - one above the ground level - so I now presume that's why he can own it in his own right.

Regarding the ground floor condos owning the land, well I always understood that the owners of the condo block, who must be Thai or maybe company, own the land, not the owners of the ground floor condos. If that was the case then the ground floor owners must collect the ground rents from the other condos?