Thai residential lease agreement — create it online, legally
A residential lease is an agreement in which a landlord lets a tenant use a house, condominium or room as a home in exchange for rent (Section 537, Thai Civil and Commercial Code). A lease of immovable property must be evidenced in writing and signed to be enforceable in court. Kontrax lets you draft a Thai-lawyer-written lease, e-sign it online, and manage it through its whole life.
What Thai law requires
Thai law sets clear form and enforcement rules for residential leases. The points landlords and tenants must know:
CCC Section 538
A lease of immovable property must be evidenced in writing signed by the liable party, or it cannot be enforced by court action. A lease longer than 3 years must additionally be made in writing and registered with the competent official, or it is enforceable only for 3 years.
CCC Section 560
If the tenant fails to pay rent, the landlord may terminate — but where rent is payable monthly or at longer intervals, the landlord must first demand payment giving no less than 15 days.
Contract Committee Notification on Residential Building Rental Business, B.E. 2568 (2025)
Business landlords renting out 3 or more units are subject to controlled-contract rules — e.g. for short-term leases, the security deposit plus advance rent combined may not exceed 3 months of rent, and deposits must be returned within the prescribed time after the lease ends (this notification replaces the B.E. 2562 version, in force since 4 September 2025).
What a Thai residential lease must contain
A well-drafted lease should cover at least the following, completely and clearly:
- Names, addresses and ID numbers of landlord and tenant
- Details of the leased property (location, unit/house number, condition)
- Lease term with start and end dates
- Rent amount, due date and payment method
- Security deposit with deduction and refund conditions
- Each party's repair and maintenance duties
- Termination grounds and notice procedure
- Renewal terms at the end of the lease
Create your lease online with Kontrax
- Draft from a residential-lease template written by Thai lawyers, covering every clause above
- Both parties e-sign with legal effect under the Electronic Transactions Act B.E. 2544 (2001), with signer identity verification
- Signed documents are sealed with a cryptographic hash so any later tampering is detectable
- Expiry reminders, renewals as addenda, amendments and terminations — managed in one system
Sign up free and create your first contract today
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue over a lease with no written contract?
Under CCC Section 538, a lease of immovable property without written, signed evidence cannot be enforced by court action — so always put the lease in writing.
Does a lease longer than 3 years need registration?
Yes — it must be in writing and registered with the competent official, otherwise it is enforceable only for the first 3 years (CCC Section 538).
Can the landlord keep my security deposit?
Only for damage or debts the tenant is liable for under the lease. Business landlords with 3+ units must also follow the 2025 controlled-contract rules on returning deposits. A lease with clear deduction terms prevents most disputes.
Is an online lease agreement legally valid in Thailand?
Yes. Thailand's Electronic Transactions Act B.E. 2544 (2001) recognises electronic data as written evidence (Section 8), gives electronic signatures legal effect (Section 9), and bars courts from rejecting electronic evidence merely for being electronic (Section 11).
When the lease ends, do we need a whole new contract?
Not necessarily — you can extend with an addendum referencing the original lease. In Kontrax, a renewal is created as an addendum linked to the parent contract, with reminders before the end date.
Other contract types
This page provides general information only and is not legal advice for any specific case. Consult a qualified lawyer about your situation.