Foreign demand continues to support the housing market activity in Thailand amid weaker participation of local buyers due to decreased purchasing power and limited access to credit; the effect of government stimulus measures is yet to manifest fully.

This extended overview from the Global Property Guide covers key aspects of the Thai housing market and takes a closer look at its most recent developments and long-term trends.

Table of Contents

• Housing Market Snapshot
• Demand Highlights
• Supply Highlights
• Mortgage Market
• Rental Market
• Socio-Economic Context

Housing Market Snapshot

Thailand's residential property prices continue to grow gradually, driven by elevated construction costs and land prices. The Residential Property Price Indices for Q4 2024 published by the Bank of Thailand (BOT) reflect steady growth across the segments. Nationally, prices for single-detached houses increased by 2.55% year-on-year (1.54% inflation-adjusted), while townhouses saw a slightly higher annual rise of 3.53% (2.51% inflation-adjusted).

Thailand's house price annual change:

Unlike previous quarters, price growth in the Bangkok metropolitan area lagged behind the national average in the last quarter of 2024. The House Price Index for single-detached houses in the capital region rose by 2.41% year-on-year (1.40% inflation-adjusted), while townhouse prices increased by 3.19% (2.27% inflation-adjusted). The condominium segment experienced a notable deceleration, with price growth slowing from 7.20% year-on-year in Q3 2024 to 2.46% (1.45% inflation-adjusted) in Q4 2024.

Data source: BOT.

Market analysis conducted by Global Property Guide in February 2025 found that the highest asking prices for apartments offered for sale were recorded in Bangkok and Phuket submarkets, where the average listing price for a two-bedroom unit reached USD 303,209 and USD 296,134, respectively. In contrast, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan emerged as more affordable locations included in the study.

The average asking price of apartments offered for sale in selected submarkets, by property type:

Industry experts anticipate a continuation of Thailand's gradual housing price growth in 2025, with developers prioritizing the clearance of accumulated inventory amid subdued demand before making any significant price adjustments. Athip Pichanon, Honorary President of the Home Builders Association, projects a modest market recovery, with prices rising by 2-3%, while emphasizing that future growth will largely depend on land costs in each location. Surachet Kongcheep, Managing Director of Property DNA, shares this view, noting that developers are likely to keep prices stable for completed projects as they work through excess inventory. However, he offers a slightly more optimistic forecast, expecting housing prices to increase by 5-7% year-on-year in 2025.

Demand Highlights:

Property Transfers Continue to Decline, Though Contraction Rate Eases

Housing demand in Thailand remains subdued, though early signs of gradual improvement compared to the beginning of the last year are evident. According to the Real Estate Information Center (REIC), the total number of registered residential property transfers across the country during the first three quarters of 2024 reached 250,580 units, marking a 7.4% year-on-year decline. Demand varied between property segments, with low-rise housing units experiencing a 12.8% year-on-year drop, while condominium transfers increased by 5.6% compared to the corresponding period in 2023.

Despite the overall negative trend, the rate of decline in transfers is slowing, largely due to government stimulus measures introduced earlier in the year, when the Ministry of Finance approved reductions in transaction fees for homes valued at up to THB 7 million (USD 210,500), cutting ownership transfer fees and mortgage registration fees to 0.01% from the previous 2% and 1%, respectively. "The measure to reduce transfer and mortgage fees <…> has helped slow the decline in residential ownership transfers during the second and third quarters," commented Kamolpop Virapala, Managing Director of the Government Housing Bank (GHB) and Acting Director of REIC. The total number of transfers declined by 13.8% in the first quarter of the year, but the rate of decline eased to 4.5% in the third quarter, largely driven by increased transfers of lower-segment condominiums.

The total value of residential property transfers followed a similar trend, decreasing by 8.0% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2024 to THB 705,388 million (USD 21,212 million). The decline was observed in both low-rise and condominium segments, with values falling by 9.2% and 5.2% year-on-year, respectively. However, similar to the number of units transferred, the rate of decline moderated from -13.4% in the first quarter to -5.4% in the third quarter.

Data Source: REIC.

Foreign demand remained resilient despite overall market trends. The REIC data shows that 11,036 condominium units were transferred to foreign buyers in the first three quarters of 2024, reflecting a 3.1% year-on-year increase. The total value of these transactions amounted to THB 51,458 million (USD 1,547 million), representing a 1.5% year-on-year decrease and signaling a tilt towards properties in the lower price segments. Foreign purchases accounted for 13.3% of total condominium transfers, a proportion that remained largely stable.

Data Source: REIC.

Geographically, 38.7% of foreign transfers occurred in the Bangkok metropolitan area, totaling 4,269 units and reflecting a 6.2% year-on-year increase. Chonburi accounted for the second-largest share with 3,976 properties (36.0% of the total), though foreign acquisitions in the region demonstrated a decline of 11.0% year-on-year. Other key markets included Phuket (748 properties), Chiang Mai (698 properties), and Samut Prakan (533 properties).

China remained the leading source of foreign demand, accounting for 39.7% of total foreign transfers, followed by Myanmar (9.5%), Russia (7.2%), and Taiwan (5.5%). Nearly half (49.4%) of foreign transactions involved units priced up to THB 3 million (USD 90,215), with the most popular unit size ranging between 31 and 60 square meters, representing 45.6% of total transfers.

Transfers of residential property rights in condominiums to foreign buyers:

As foreign demand continues to support the housing market amid weakening local participation, the Cabinet of Thailand has revisited previously rejected proposals to ease ownership regulations for non-residents. In June 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced that the Ministry of the Interior had been tasked with assessing the feasibility of extending foreign property rights from 50 to 99 years and raising the foreign ownership quota for condominiums from 49% to 75%.

Looking ahead to 2025, KKP Bank analysts anticipate that residential property transfers could increase if the government introduces effective economic stimulus measures, such as accelerating public spending, extending fee reductions, and lowering taxes on home loan interest. However, potential risks remain, including high household debt, the absence of relaxed loan-to-value regulations, and tight lending policies from financial institutions. Geopolitical uncertainties, such as China's fragile economic recovery and ongoing challenges in its real estate sector, may also affect the purchasing power of Chinese buyers in Thailand's condominium market.

The REIC projects that nationwide residential property transfers will total 350,545 units in 2024, reflecting a 4.4% year-on-year decline, with a total transaction value of THB 1,012,760 million, down 3.3%. A recovery is expected to begin in 2025, with the total number of transfers forecasted to rise to 363,600 units, representing 3.7% growth, within a projected range of -4.5% to +12.3%. The total value of transactions is expected to increase by 3.0% year-on-year, within a range of -8.6% to +12.0%.

Supply Highlights:

Developers Scale Back Amid Subdued Demand

Thailand's construction sector is slowing, reflecting weaker housing demand. According to the BOT, 72,395 newly completed residential properties were registered in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area during the first three quarters of 2024, representing a modest 1.5% year-on-year increase. Completion trends varied by property type, with low-rise units - including housing projects and self-built homes - declining by 19.4% year-on-year, while high-rise units, including apartments and condominiums, rose by 26.9%, mirroring the buyers' preference towards this segment.

"In terms of supply, developers have continued to delay new project launches, particularly in areas where demand has softened. Instead, they are focusing on projects aligned with purchasing power, particularly housing priced at no more than 7 million baht," commented the REIC.

Data Source: BOT.

Looking ahead, a significant acceleration in new residential supply is unlikely in the medium term. Data from the National Statistical Office of Thailand (NSO) indicates that 181,536 residential units received construction permits nationwide in the first three quarters of 2024, representing an 11.8% year-on-year decline. The total permitted building area also fell by 12.8%.

Data Source: NSO.

Regional performance varied. The Bangkok Metropolitan Area experienced the sharpest decline, with construction permits falling 33.5% year-on-year, accounting for 19% of all permits issued. In the Northeast region, permit issuance remained stable, representing 20% of the total share. The Central Region recorded the highest volume of permits at 29% of the total, though it registered a 3.7% year-on-year decline.

Building permits issued for new residential construction, by region:

Mortgage Market:

Interest Rates Decrease Marginally, Slowdown in Lending Continues

After several consecutive hikes in 2022-2023, the BOT announced a first cut to its policy rate in October 2024, bringing it down 25 b.p. to 2.25%. At the latest policy meeting in December, the central bank decided to keep the rate at the same level, saying in a press release: "The Committee voted to maintain the policy rate, deeming the current rate is consistent with the economic trajectory close to potential, inflation moving towards the target range, and safeguarding long-term macro-financial stability, together with preserving policy space amid increasing uncertainties going forward."

In a similar trajectory, minimum retail rates (MRR) set by individual banks and generally serving as a baseline for specific mortgage products have decreased, albeit marginally, in the last several months. Based on information published by the BOT, at the end of January 2025, the average MRR for domestic commercial banks was 7.91%, slightly down from 8.05% in January 2024 but still above the 7.31% reported in January 2023.

Data Source: BOT.

Typically, banks in Thailand offer a discounted fixed rate for the first three years of a loan term, switching to a floating rate tied to MRR from the fourth year. According to the data accumulated by the real estate website DDproperty, as of February 2025, the lowest average interest rate for the first 3 years across various home loan programs is between 2.95% and 3.67% in popular commercial banks, and 1.59% and 2.89% in the state-owned Government Housing Bank (GHB) and Government Savings Bank (GSB), respectively. MMRs in both commercial and state-owned banks at the beginning of the month were down from the same period in 2024 but remained above the 2023 level.

Selected banks Minimum Retail Rate (MRR):

The recent policy rate cut and corresponding reductions in banks' MRR, however, are likely to primarily affect only current mortgage holders. The effect on potential home loan applicants will be muted, as consumer purchasing power in the country remains weak, believe the Housing Finance Association experts cited by The Bangkok Post.

"The real issue is that many potential buyers are unable to secure loans due to stricter lending requirements," said the Association's president, Soonthorn Sathaporn, in another recent publication from The Bangkok Post. According to Soonthorn, the mortgage rejection rate in the country has surged to 35% (up from the typical 15-20%), especially for homes priced THB 2-3 million, where rejections reach 50-60%.

The surge in rejection rates in recent years is attributed to the growing number of non-performing loans and the weakened debt repayment capability of potential buyers, especially those in the lower-income segments purchasing homes priced below TBH 3 million. As a result, banks are focusing on the middle to upper-income segment, specifically targeting would-be buyers of homes with a minimum price of TBH 5 million and a respective monthly income requirement of THB 50,000.

Reflecting elevated interest rates and strict approval criteria established by the financial institutions, a slowdown in new housing loan disbursement that has been observed in Thailand since late 2023 continued throughout 2024. In the first nine months of the year, the REIC reported THB 419.8 billion (USD 12.3 billion) in new mortgage loans to individuals, a 16.2% year-on-year drop. At the time, the center's baseline scenario expected around THB 651 billion (USD 19.2 billion) in new housing loans by the end of the year, a 4% decrease compared to 2023, while the worst-case scenario allowed for an 11.7% drop.

The BOT data on new mortgages issued by commercial banks during this period (representing about 64% of all new lending) shows that 73.4% of pure new loans (excluding refinancing) were obtained to purchase low-rise individual housing, while 26.6% were taken to purchase units in high-rise buildings.

Data Sources: BOT, REIC.

In general, the mortgage market expansion in the country has been on a decelerating trajectory for several periods already, slowing from an average annual growth of 9% in the decade between 2008 and 2018 to 5.8% in 2021, 5.4% in 2022 and 4.4% in 2023. The trend is primarily driven by the slowdown in the commercial banks segment, which only showed an annual growth of 4.4% in 2021, 3.1% in 2022, and 1.3% in 2023, according to the BOT data.

As of Q1 2024 (the latest data publicly available at the time of research), the total value of outstanding housing loans to individuals maintained by the financial system of Thailand stood at TBH 4.96 trillion (USD 135 billion), showing a 3.8% year-on-year increase compared to Q1 2023 - the slowest growth rate in 25 quarters, according to the REIC data.

About 55% of the housing loan stock is represented by mortgages from commercial banks, and the rest is made up of loans issued by state enterprises such as the GHB and the GSB, as well as other financial institutions.

Compared to the national economy, the overall size of the market was estimated at 27.6% of GDP at current prices in 2023, up from 19.8% a decade prior in 2013.

Data Sources: BOT, GHB, REIC.

Rental Market:

Demand for Condos is Strong and Growing

According to the 2010 Census conducted by the NSO, the homeownership rate in Thailand in 2010 was estimated at 78.9% (down from 82.4% recorded during the previous Census of 2000). At the same time, 16.5% of residents rented accommodation for a fee, and 4.3% rented free of charge.

In recent years, however, the percentage of homeowners appears to have been decreasing. A September 2024 article from the Prachachat Business Newspaper highlighted the so-called Generation Rent trend becoming more widespread in Thailand. According to the local experts cited, today's young professionals increasingly don't want to own a home because of pressure from the burden of living costs, coupled with housing prices that are beyond the purchasing power of this group of customers, especially in cities and locations with convenient transportation, such as train lines passing through.

The 2025 property market outlook from DDproperty indicates that rental demand is growing, and is especially high for condos, which continued to receive the most attention from prospective tenants in 2024. The platform's condo demand index increased by 12% year-on-year nationwide, and by 10% year-on-year in Bangkok.

Market analysis conducted by Global Property Guide in February 2025 found that the highest average asking rents were observed in Bangkok and Phuket submarkets, where the average monthly rate for a two-bedroom unit reached USD 1,588 and USD 1,733, respectively.

The average asking apartment rents in selected submarkets, by property type:

The corresponding gross rental yields for residential units in Thailand averaged 6.17%, slightly down from 6.27% previously reported in June 2024. Regional performance varied, with the highest yields among the surveyed submarkets registered in Samut Prakan (7.07%) and Nonthaburi (6.43%). In the capital city of Bangkok, the indicator was recorded at 6.05%.

In the prime residential segment, rent growth in Bangkok reached 15.9% year-on-year, reflecting strong demand fueled by the expatriate community and declining housing affordability for local buyers', according to the Q3 2024 residential market dynamics report from JLL.

Based on the latest CBRE figures, the average asking rent for Grade A apartments in Bangkok reached THB 566 (USD 16.66) per square meter, reflecting an increase of 2.0% quarter-on-quarter and 8.8% year-on-year. The highest average per sqm rents for this property type was reported in Sukhumvit (THB 580 / USD 17.07), followed by Central Lumpini/Siam (THB 564 / USD 16.60), and Silom/Sathorn (THB 488 / USD 14.36) areas of the capital.

Socio-Economic Context:

Gradual Recovery Continues, Tourism to Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2025

While lagging behind ASEAN peers, Thailand's economy continues to gradually recover from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple shocks in 2022. The country's real GDP growth, primarily driven by private consumption and a rebound in tourism-related activities, is estimated at 2.7% in 2024, expected to pick up to 2.9% in 2025, according to the BOT outlook, which is in line with the respective 2.8% and 2.9% currently projected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation in the country eased from 6.1% in 2022 to 1.20% in 2023 and just 0.5% in 2024; in the upcoming period, however, it is expected to rise gradually to the lower bound of the central bank's target range of 1-3%. The BOT expects the annual headline inflation level to reach 1.1% in 2025, while the IMF projection for this year currently stands at 1.2%.

Data Source: IMF.

The tourism industry remains the main driver of the country's economic recovery, bolstering activities in the service sector, employment, and private consumption. As travel restrictions were lifted, the number of foreign tourists arriving in Thailand rebounded from less than 500 thousand visitors in 2021 to over 11 million in 2022, and over 28 million in 2023. The provisional data shows 35.5 million international tourists visiting Thailand throughout 2024, a 26.3% year-on-year increase.

Average accommodation occupancy in 2024 stood at 71.5%, up from 69.3% in the previous year and exceeding the 70% pre-pandemic benchmark of 2019. Overall, the sector is projected to return to pre-pandemic levels in mid-2025.

Based on the preliminary figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the vast majority of foreign tourists in 2024 arrived from Asia and the Pacific (over 72%), followed by Europe (over 20%) and the Americas (over 4%). Key country markets of origin were China (18.9%), Malaysia (13.9%), India (6%), and Korea (5.3%).

Data Sources: BOT, Tourism and Sports.

Supported by the revival of tourism, Thailand's labor market continues to improve in both service and manufacturing sectors. Unemployment and underemployment have declined substantially from their peaks in 2020-2021. The nationwide unemployment rate was most recently reported by the BOT at 1.0% in December 2024, down from the annual level of 1.32% in 2022 and only marginally above the 0.98% reported in 2023.

Data Source: BOT.

In November 2024, Fitch Ratings affirmed Thailand's 'BBB' standing with a stable outlook, noting the country's strengthening growth, sound macroeconomic policy framework, and broad policy continuity within the government. At the same time, the country's economy remains subject to several external and internal risks.

The emerging risks to the economy's continued growth were recently outlined by the IMF staff upon the conclusion of their 2024 Article IV Mission to Thailand. "On the external front, escalation of global trade tensions or heightened trade uncertainty could slow global and regional growth, disrupting Thailand's export recovery and dampening FDI inflows. Increased commodity price volatility could also affect growth and lead to inflation spikes both globally and domestically, and potentially tighter-for-longer global financial conditions. On the domestic front, the private sector debt overhang could lead to increased defaults and non-performing loans (NPLs), further impairing credit supply and negatively affecting growth," said Corinne Deléchat, the head of the IMF mission team.

Sources:

1. National Statistical Office of Thailand (NSO)
   1. 2010 Population and Housing Census: https://www.nso.go.th/
   2. Construction Site Data Processing, Q3 2024 (TH): https://www.nso.go.th/
2. Bank of Thailand (BOT)
   1. Residential Property Price Indices: https://app.bot.or.th/
   2. Thailand's Macro Economic Indicators: https://app.bot.or.th/
   3. Property Indicators: https://app.bot.or.th/
   4. Tourism Indicators: https://app.bot.or.th/
   5. Real Estate Loan Report: https://app.bot.or.th/
   6. Labor Force Survey: https://app.bot.or.th/
   7. Interest Rates in Financial Market (2005- present): https://app.bot.or.th/
   8. Daily Interest Rates of Commercial Banks: https://www.bot.or.th/
   9. Policy Interest Rate: https://www.bot.or.th/
   10. Monetary Policy Committee's Decision 5/2024: https://www.bot.or.th/
   11. Monetary Policy Committee's Decision 6/2024: https://www.bot.or.th/
   12. Economic Outlook: https://www.bot.or.th/
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   3. Housing Price Situation Report, Q4 2024 (TH): https://www.reic.or.th/
   4. Foreign Condominium Ownership Transfer Situation in Q3 2024 (TH): https://www.reic.or.th/
   5. The Report on the Thailand Real Estate Market Composite Index… (TH): https://www.thaigov.go.th/
   6. Property Prices Projected to Rise 2-3% (TH): https://www.reic.or.th/
4. Royal Thai Government
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5. Government Public Relations Department
   1. Economic Stimulus Measures Through the Real Estate Sector… (TH): https://www.prd.go.th/
6. Ministry of Tourism and Sports
   1. Tourist Statistics: https://www.mots.go.th/
7. Government Housing Bank
   1. Annual Reports: https://www.ghbank.co.th/
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    1. Thai Real Estate Market in 2024… (TH): https://advicecenter.kkpfg.com/
13. JLL
    1. Asia Pacific Residential Market Dynamics Q3 2024: https://www.joneslanglasalle.com.vn/
14. CBRE
    1. Bangkok Overall Figures Q4 2024: https://www.cbre.co.th/
15. DDproperty
    1. Thailand Property Market Outlook 2025 (TH): https://www.ddproperty.com/
    2. Home Loan Interest Rates 2025 For All Banks (TH): https://www.ddproperty.com/
    3. MRR MLR MOR Rate Update (TH): https://www.ddproperty.com/
    4. Thailand Consumer Sentiment Study H1 2024 (TH): https://www.ddproperty.com/
    5. Thai People's Home Search Trends in 2024 (TH): https://www.ddproperty.com/
16. Bangkok Post
    1. Rate Cut to Have Muted Effect on Potential Homebuyers: https://www.bangkokpost.com/
    2. House Prices Having Less Impact Than Mortgage Woes: https://www.bangkokpost.com/
    3. Mortgage Rejection Rate Soars After Pandemic: https://www.bangkokpost.com/
    4. Thailand Plans USD 7 BN of Soft Loans for Property Sector: https://www.bangkokpost.com/
17. Prachachat Business Newspaper
    1. Gen Rent - Customers Rejecting Loans, Real Estate Trends for New Generation Consumers (TH): https://www.prachachat.net/
18. Realty Plus
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