Paying for a Thai condo from abroad: the funds and the FET document
How a foreign buyer's money usually reaches the seller, what the bank paperwork is for, and what to confirm with the bank and the land office before you pay.
Many foreign buyers focus on the quota and forget the money trail. For a condo purchase, how the funds reach Thailand matters as much as which unit you choose, because the land office usually asks to see the bank paperwork at transfer. This guide explains the idea in plain words. It does not replace advice from your bank or a Thai lawyer, and the details can change.
Why the money trail matters
As commonly described by property advisers, a foreign buyer of a condominium unit is expected to bring the purchase money into Thailand from abroad, in foreign currency, and have a Thai bank convert it to baht. The bank records the inward transfer on a Foreign Exchange Transaction form, usually called an FET, or on a bank confirmation letter, depending on the amount. The land office then asks for this evidence when the unit is registered in your name.
What the document shows
Guides describe the paperwork as showing the buyer's name as it appears on the passport, the amount received, the foreign currency it came in and the stated purpose of the transfer, which is the purchase of a condominium unit. A mismatch between the passport name and the name on the transfer is a common reason for delay, so check the spelling before you send money.
Questions to settle before you transfer
Ask your Thai bank which document it will issue for the amount you plan to send, because published guides disagree on the amount at which an FET is issued instead of a bank letter. Ask whether the total must match the price in the sale contract, and whether instalments each need their own document. Ask the land office, or your lawyer, for its current checklist. Foreign buyers who hold Thai permanent residence may be treated differently, so mention it if it applies to you.
Keep everything in one folder
Keep the booking receipt, the sale contract, each transfer slip and each bank document together, in the same name. A buyer who can show a clean trail from the overseas account to the seller usually finds transfer day much calmer.
How Happy Home helps
Happy Home checks the facts of the home you are considering, arranges viewings and coordinates the documents up to transfer day. We do not give legal or tax advice; for those, speak to a licensed Thai lawyer. To look at homes first, browse homes for sale. For the quota and the steps to transfer, read buying a condo in Thailand as a foreigner, or leave Happy Home a message.
Sources
Accessed 24 October 2026. These are advisory guides, not the land office's own text, which is why we ask you to confirm the current rule with your bank and the land office.