Trang: Southern Thailand’s rising star
As real estate in the markets of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi increasingly becomes unattractive to investors and speculators due to rapid appreciation and the lack of new land coming up for sale, markets in other southern Thai provinces are beginning to bud.
Trang is one such market that speculators would be wise not to ignore.
The President of the Agency for Real Estate Affairs Company Limited (AREA), Dr Sopon Pornchokchai PhD, has championed the province and makes some valuable observations.
Due to its ideal location along Thailand’s Andaman seaboard, Trang has a high potential to develop into a regional centre for property development and tourism.
Total area that has been requested for development grew by 24% in 2012 and has shown steady, positive growth around the same figure each year since, according to Dr Sopon.
Although revenues from the province’s agriculture sector have been in decline, due mainly to the value of rubber and palm commodities plummeting in the global market, the real estate market should not be directly impacted, Dr Sopon insists.
Dr Sopon said that there are no indications that the property market in Trang is at risk of being flooded, since it is still in the infant stages of what appears to be a promising boom.
Dr Sophon says that Trang Airport, spanning 1,659 rai and located 8 kilometers or a 15-minute drive to the south of Trang Town, in the Tung Nang sub district, is an important factor in stimulating Trang’s development and economic potential.
Although Thai Airways abandoned the destination, Nok Air, Lion Air and Air Asia are still providing flights to/from the province, which has proved a boon for the local tourism industry.
The expansion plan for Trang’s airport includes a new passenger terminal with work starting last year and to be completed next year with an estimated budget of 720 million baht,
Passenger traffic through Trang Airport is expected to exceed a million passengers next year. In 2007 the airport handled 104,000 passengers.
Given continued expansion and growth in infrastructure, tourism and education, and expected increased revenues from the agricultural sector and diversification of other industries, the real estate sector in Trang is poised to prosper, Dr Sophon concluded.
Thailand Property FAQ
Can foreigners buy property in Thailand?
Yes. Foreigners can own condominium units freehold, as long as foreign buyers hold no more than 49% of the building's saleable area. Land cannot be owned directly by foreigners; houses are usually held through a 30-year lease — and since a March 2025 Supreme Court ruling, automatic “30+30+30” renewal structures are not enforceable beyond the first 30 years. Read the full foreign-ownership guide.
What is Thailand's 49% foreign quota?
In any condominium project, no more than 49% of the total saleable floor area can be foreign-owned. The quota applies only to condos — not houses, land or leaseholds — and popular buildings in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya can hit the cap. How the quota works in practice.
How much are property transfer fees in 2026?
The transfer registration fee is cut to 0.01% (from the standard 2%) and the mortgage registration fee to 0.01% (from 1%) for purchases where both the price and assessed value are 7 million baht or less — extended by the Cabinet on June 30, 2026. On a 6-million-baht home that saves around 120,000 baht. Who qualifies for the cut · Standard fees & who pays what.
Is it better to rent or buy in Thailand as an expat?
It mostly depends on your time horizon: for stays under roughly five years renting usually wins once transfer costs and resale friction are counted, while longer stays can favour buying — especially with 2026's reduced fees. The rent-vs-buy maths for expats.
How much does property cost in Thailand?
A little over 2 million baht buys a freehold one-bedroom condo in central Chiang Mai — the same budget covers only a studio in Bangkok's CBD. Prices vary sharply by region and city. Average prices by region, and what they buy you.
What taxes do property owners pay in Thailand?
Owners pay the annual land and building tax, and rental income is taxable; buyers and sellers split one-off costs like transfer fees, stamp duty or specific business tax depending on the deal. The go-to guide to Thai property taxes.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
