Foreigners cannot directly own land in Thailand. Two legal structures allow secure acquisition. The first is leasehold: you lease the land for 30 years, renewable twice for a maximum of 90 years. You own the villa structure in freehold — this is the most common and straightforward route for foreign buyers. The second is acquisition through a Thai Limited Company, where the company holds the freehold Chanote title. Foreigners can hold up to 49% of the shares; the majority must be held by Thai nationals, but proper shareholder agreements preserve effective foreign control. Heveatecture works with trusted local lawyers who specialise in foreign acquisitions and can guide you through both options.

A Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor) is the highest form of land title in Thailand. It guarantees GPS-surveyed boundaries, unambiguous ownership, and straightforward transfer at the Land Department. Some plots in Koh Samui are sold with a Nor Sor 3 Gor title — legally recognised but less precise, with slower transfer procedures. All plots presented by Heveatecture carry Chanote title. This is a non-negotiable condition of our selection process.

Koh Samui’s green-zone regulations generally require a minimum of 400 to 500 m² to obtain a residential construction permit. Building height is capped at 6 metres (approximately two storeys) in residential zones, and construction is prohibited within 10 metres of the beachfront. Before presenting any plot, Heveatecture confirms zone classification, plot size compliance, and permit eligibility — so you only see land that can actually be built on.

Koh Samui introduced zoning regulations in 2006 that divide the island into colour-coded zones. Chaweng is primarily green zone (residential villas permitted) and yellow zone (residential plus condominiums). Key restrictions include the 6-metre height cap, the 10-metre beachfront exclusion zone, and prohibitions on hotel or commercial resort use in residential zones. Heveatecture carries out a full zone and permit check on every plot before it is presented to a client.

Land prices in Chaweng and Chaweng Noi currently range from approximately THB 8,000 to THB 15,000 per square metre, depending on views, slope, road access, and proximity to the beach corridor. Sea-view hillside plots with Chanote title command the upper end of this range. Prices have risen consistently over the past five years, driven by sustained tourism demand and a strictly limited supply of compliant plots.

Well-positioned luxury villas in Chaweng typically generate gross annual rental yields of 6 to 12%. Nightly rates range from THB 15,000 to THB 50,000 or more during high season (December to March, and July to August), with occupancy rates of 70 to 85% reported by professionally managed properties. Heveatecture designs villas with rental performance in mind — pool size, layout, privacy, and outdoor living space all influence the achievable nightly rate.

The typical timeline from plot acquisition to villa handover is 14 to 18 months, broken down as follows: 1 to 2 months for legal transfer and title registration; 2 to 3 months for architectural design and building permit; 10 to 12 months for construction. Because Heveatecture manages both the land selection and the full design-build process, there is no coordination gap between phases — which is where most projects lose time.

Most agencies present plots based on price and title deed. Heveatecture adds an architectural filter before any plot reaches you: our team assesses slope gradient, solar orientation, drainage, road access quality, earthwork requirements, and construction feasibility. You receive not just a plot, but a realistic total budget — land plus construction — before you commit to anything. For buyers who want to build, this is the difference between a smooth project and a series of expensive surprises.