Frequently Asked Questions

By Swedish standards, Rayong is warm all year. There are three seasons: summer from March to June, the rainy season from July to October, and the cool season from November to February.

Annual rainfall is roughly comparable with Sweden, but in Thailand it usually falls in short, heavy showers. An hour later the sun is often shining again. The average annual temperature is around 28 C.

Rayong Province has some of the lowest rainfall in Thailand, so you can enjoy the climate throughout the year, unlike places such as Phuket.

Yes. Foreigners can own condominium units directly in their own name when the foreign ownership quota in the building does not exceed 49%. Houses and land require other arrangements, such as a lease. Read more below under Apartments and Houses and land.

No. The general cost of living is much lower than in Sweden, especially for food, services and restaurant visits. Some products and services, including insurance, certain electronics and cars, can however cost more than in Sweden.

Yes. Naturally, crime exists as it does in every country, but crime is generally lower than in Sweden. You should still take normal precautions with valuables, credit cards, passports and similar items.

Many Swedes think so because prices are lower than in Pattaya and Phuket, while Rayong offers beautiful beaches, a genuine atmosphere, and continually improving services and infrastructure.

Mae Ramphung, Mae Phim, Suanson, Ban Phe and other coastal areas are especially popular for holiday and retirement homes.

Prices vary substantially. Apartments can start from around THB 1 million, while beachfront villas can cost THB 10 million or more. Rayong Province is generally considered more affordable than Thailand's larger tourist destinations.

There is no formal requirement, but it is strongly recommended. A qualified lawyer or experienced property agent can help check title deeds, agreements and ownership structures to reduce risk and simplify the process. ERA Rayong is well established, with more than 20 years of experience, all required work permits and a proper company structure for your security.

You can find Western food across Rayong Province except in smaller villages. Swedish favourites are harder to find and are available only at some restaurants. We can recommend O'Learys in Ban Phe, which serves Swedish food and sells Swedish products.

The general standard is lower than in Sweden, but Rayong Province has good private hospitals, international clinics and helpful services for foreigners, which many retirees appreciate. They are available to people who pay themselves or have valid insurance. Bangkok Hospital is Rayong's largest private hospital.

Private dentists also offer a reasonable standard at prices far below those in Sweden.

No. You need to obtain an international driving permit in Sweden before travelling and bring both documents to Thailand.

If you have a home here, you can relatively easily obtain a Thai driving licence. As in Sweden, you must carry your licence while driving.

Check with your insurance company. Some home-insurance policies include travel insurance, or you may be able to buy an extension.

Insurance cover is extremely important. Make sure that you are covered and bring documents that prove it.

For longer stays abroad, we recommend special accident and health insurance purchased either in Sweden or from international insurers. We do not recommend Thai insurance policies because they are often very expensive.

To insure your home and belongings in Thailand, you need a domestic insurer. We recommend AXA for home insurance.

Yes. Many Swedes rent out their homes short or long term to cover running costs or create extra income. Please note that apartments must by law be rented for at least 31 days; short-term rentals are not allowed.

Transfer fees and taxes are charged at the Land Office, Thailand's equivalent of the Swedish Land Registration Authority. They are often shared between buyer and seller by agreement.

Japanese brands cost roughly the same as in Sweden, while a pickup truck is somewhat cheaper. European and American makes are often considerably more expensive than in the West, but they are also often very well equipped.

The most common new standard motorcycles cost around SEK 10,000-13,000.

Visit www.one2car.com to get an idea of used-vehicle prices. The site is in Thai but is logically structured, and its search function is at the top right. Resale values are generally much better than in Sweden.

We cannot give a definitive answer. Everything depends on materials, scope and standard. Labour is much cheaper than in Sweden, though not always as skilled. Materials are often cheaper, but some products such as dishwashers and whirlpool baths can cost more in Thailand.

As a very rough estimate, expect one third to one quarter of the cost of an equivalent renovation in Sweden.

As in Sweden, take out home insurance. We recommend AXA because it has proven to work well when customers have needed to use their insurance.

Think carefully about what you are looking for. Will it be a year-round, seasonal or holiday home? What size do you need for family, guests and friends? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a house? What is your budget? What matters most about the area: proximity to golf, the beach or an international school?

Complete the transaction legally to avoid problems. Check, for example, that the agent or contact operates legally and has a work permit. It is equally important that title deeds, contracts and registrations are correct.

This varies between properties.

When buying an existing lease right, only a Land Office fee of 0.5% of the total lease cost is normally paid. Some landowners charge a fee for transferring the lease and preparing the necessary documents.

When buying buildings, estimated title-deed costs of around 2.0%, business tax of 3.3% and withholding tax of up to 2.0% may apply. Fees are calculated on assessed value and sales price, and vary with the ownership period and legal status.

How fees are divided is agreed between seller and buyer. The most common arrangement is for the parties to share them.

People in Thailand eat out much more often than in Sweden, and food is easier to prepare. A portable gas hob, fridge-freezer and sink go a long way.

Installing a conventional kitchen is relatively inexpensive. IKEA in Bangkok has many options.

A blue book is a type of house-registration document. A Thai citizen registered at a property's address has their name entered in the blue book. As a foreigner, it can sometimes be practical to have the book or a copy of its first page when, for example, arranging an internet subscription or buying a motorcycle. Foreigners can instead obtain a similar document called a yellow book.

Please note that the blue or yellow book is not a document of value. It says nothing about ownership, lease rights or anything else important. A new copy costs around THB 40-50. Many Thai sellers do not have a blue book if they do not live permanently in their house.

What is included varies between providers. It may include:

• Costs for the landowner's staff, premises and similar items
• Income tax on the lease fee
• Accrued income tax on a possible sale of the lease right

Always check how tax is paid, what it consists of, how it is calculated and who is responsible for payment.

Some providers ignore tax payments and can therefore present low lease fees. The tax may also be hidden in contract wording that makes you, as buyer or tenant, responsible for payment.

It is true that you can form a Co., Ltd. company that in turn buys property. We nevertheless advise against this for the simple reason that it is illegal, at least when the company does not operate a real business in Thailand.

Regulatory supervision of these arrangements has increased in recent years.

This varies with the seller. In practice, there are two alternatives:

1. You buy a lease right to the land and the house as real property.
2. You buy a lease right that gives you full use of the whole property, meaning house and land together. You can rebuild, sell the lease, establish plantings and more. In practice, it works exactly as if the house and plot were real property.

Some documentation, purchase agreements and receipts are in Swedish from the start. For other documents, such as lease registrations and title deeds, you can order certified translations from us.

In most cases, yes. The terms in most landowners' lease agreements allow all forms of construction as long as they do not infringe easements affecting the plot, conflict with common housing-area rules or lack necessary building permits.

Contact us if you wonder what applies to a particular property.

Most lease agreements brokered by ERA Oakfield Thailand can be inherited through a will, sold or given away as a gift.

Yes. The lease is registered with Thai authorities for periods of up to 30 years at a time, and security of tenure is as strong as for a lease in Sweden.

Every lease right brokered by ERA Oakfield also has a civil-law lease agreement that further strengthens and clarifies your rights as a tenant.

Yes. A foreigner may own buildings and lease the land on which the house stands. This is a common arrangement for new developments.

Think carefully about what you are looking for. Will it be a year-round, seasonal or holiday home? What size do you need for family, guests and friends? What are the advantages and disadvantages of an apartment? What is your budget? What matters most about the area: proximity to golf, the beach or an international school?

Complete the transaction legally to avoid problems. Check that the agent operates legally and has a work permit. Make sure documents are correct and that the seller really owns what they intend to sell. We also strongly advise against apartments sold with lease rights.

Not exactly. In Thailand, a purchased apartment is considered real property, unlike a housing-cooperative share in Sweden. It is more comparable with owner-occupied apartments.

You also share ownership of certain common assets and the land on which the building stands.

You pay a fixed monthly fee based on the size of the apartment. This covers common costs such as building maintenance and service-staff salaries.

You also pay for electricity and water used. If you use none, a small fixed monthly fee still applies. An insurance premium is added if you have home insurance.

If all documents are in order and both parties are in Thailand, a purchase can be completed within a few days after signing the purchase agreement. When the buyer or seller is abroad and powers of attorney are needed, the process normally takes four weeks.

People in Thailand eat out much more often than in Sweden, and food is easier to prepare. A portable gas hob, fridge-freezer and sink go a long way.

Installing a conventional kitchen is relatively inexpensive. IKEA in Bangkok has many options.

A blue book is a type of house-registration document. A Thai citizen registered at an apartment's address has their name entered in the blue book. As a foreigner, it can sometimes be practical to have the book or a copy of its first page when arranging an internet subscription or buying a motorcycle. Foreigners can instead obtain a similar document called a yellow book.

Please note that the blue or yellow book is not a document of value. It says nothing about ownership or anything else important. A new copy costs around THB 40-50. Many Thai sellers do not have a blue book if they do not live permanently in their apartment.

It means real property with full right of possession: in plain language, you own the property.

No. Thailand has no housing association in the same sense as Sweden. Apartments are owned as real property and cannot be encumbered by someone else. The building's legal entity cannot take out loans or otherwise incur debt.

If there are financial problems, apartment owners review the causes and decide on measures, for example appointing a new board, renegotiating supplier agreements or collecting funds from owners. You can never lose your home or become indebted to someone as a result.

When we have accounted for your funds, you receive a receipt from us and our bank, Bangkok Bank, confirming that we received the amount. Your deposit and remaining purchase price are then held in a separate ERA account until the final transfer date.

Your money is therefore handled in a way similar to a Swedish client-money account.

Some documentation, purchase agreements and receipts are in Swedish from the start. For other documents, such as lease registrations and title deeds, you can order certified translations from us.