Sap-ing-sit (rights over leasehold assets): what it is, pros and cons
Sap-ing-sit (ทรัพย์อิงสิทธิ) is a registered right over a property, created by the Rights over Leasehold Assets Act B.E. 2562 (2019). Think of it as a 30-year lease that behaves like an asset: you can sell it, leave it to your heirs and use it as security for a loan. For foreign buyers, it fills a gap that ordinary leases leave open.
How it works
Only the registered owner can create sap-ing-sit, by registering it at the Land Office. If the property is mortgaged, the lender must agree in writing. The Land Office issues a sap-ing-sit certificate (หนังสือรับรองทรัพย์อิงสิทธิ) in duplicate: one copy is given to the owner and one is kept by the Land Office (Section 5). The certificate is separate from the title deed and does not transfer land ownership to the holder. While the right exists, the owner cannot create further real rights over the property without the holder's written consent, but can still transfer ownership or use it as mortgage or business security (Section 9). The right lasts up to 30 years. The Act has no automatic renewal: when the term ends, the property returns to the owner, and any new term needs a new registration.
During the term, the owner keeps ownership but cannot add new encumbrances without the holder's consent, or subdivide or merge the land. The holder may use the property, make improvements within the law and the building's rules, and deal with the right itself.
Sap-ing-sit vs an ordinary lease
| Ordinary registered lease | Sap-ing-sit | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of right | Personal contract | Real right over the property |
| Maximum term | 30 years | 30 years |
| Sell or transfer | Needs the owner's consent | Yes, by registration |
| Inheritance | Usually ends when the tenant dies | Passes to heirs |
| Mortgage | No | Yes |
| Sublet | Needs the owner's consent | Yes |
| Certificate | Lease registered on the title deed | Separate sap-ing-sit certificate |
| Applies to | Most property | Chanote land, buildings on it, condo units |
- A tradable asset: you can sell it before the term ends.
- Your heirs inherit the remaining term (a court-appointed estate administrator handles the registration; a transfer does not restart the term).
- Can be used as loan collateral.
- You can sublet without asking each time.
- Open to foreigners, outside the condo foreign quota.
- Ends after 30 years at most, with no automatic renewal.
- Value falls as the remaining term shortens.
- Only for chanote land, buildings on it and condo units.
- Few projects use it, so resale demand is untested.
- Registration costs and taxes can be higher than for a simple lease.
Costs
Under the 2020 ministerial regulation on sap-ing-sit fees, registering the establishment of the right costs ฿20,000 per transaction and the certificate ฿10,000 per copy. A transfer classed as having a capital value costs 2% of the truthfully declared value (฿1,000 if it has no capital value), and registering a mortgage costs 1% of the mortgaged amount. A gift or inheritance is not automatically a no-capital-value transfer just because no price is paid; confirm the category with the Land Office. These are registration fees only: taxes, stamp duty and professional fees are separate. Get an itemised estimate from the Land Office. Full breakdown: sap-ing-sit fees.
More sap-ing-sit guides
- What to check before paying for sap-ing-sit
- Fees for establishment, transfer, mortgage and cancellation
- Reselling sap-ing-sit and the remaining term
- Inheriting sap-ing-sit when the holder dies
Who it suits
- Foreign buyers of houses or villas who want something they can sell or pass on, not just a personal lease.
- Buyers in a condo whose foreign quota is full, who want a long, transferable right instead of freehold.
- Owners who want long-term income without selling their land.
Some visa agencies list a registered sap-ing-sit of ฿3 million or more as a route for the property long-stay visa. Rules for non-condo routes are still being clarified, so confirm before you rely on it.
Frequently asked
What is sap-ing-sit in Thailand?
Can foreigners hold sap-ing-sit?
Can sap-ing-sit be inherited or sold?
Can sap-ing-sit be renewed after 30 years?
Part of our complete guide to foreign property ownership in Thailand. Thinking of a Thai company instead? Read the nominee risks of buying land through a Thai company.
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General information on the Rights over Leasehold Assets Act B.E. 2562, checked October 2026; fees and practice vary. Not legal advice; consult a licensed Thai lawyer.