Key Highlights
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The wealthiest 1% of Thais own 16.78% of titled land, equal to 34.91% of total land value.
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The top 10% of landowners hold 710 times more land than the bottom 10%.
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Juristic persons own more land than individuals, concentrated in Phuket, Samut Prakan and Chonburi.
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Bangkok residents own 5% of national land outside the capital, mostly in Pathum Thani, Nakhon Nayok and Samut Prakan.
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NESDC calls unequal land ownership a structural barrier to fair access and sustainable growth.
A nationwide study by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) and related agencies has revealed stark land ownership inequality in Thailand. The report found that the richest 1% control 16.78% of titled land, equal to over one-third of its total value.
Land remains a core economic asset, providing livelihoods and influencing the costs of living. Farmers and workers without land must rent, raising expenses and limiting opportunities.
Consultation on Land Inequality
The NESDC recently held a consultation meeting on its findings with experts, civil society, academics, and government bodies, including the Department of Lands, the Treasury Department, the Office of the National Land Policy Board, and the Land Bank Administration Institute.
Deputy Secretary-General Worawan Plikhamin stated that unequal ownership is a structural issue that obstructs fair resource access and slows sustainable development.
The council’s social data division presented the study, which examined titled land, Nor Sor 3 Kor and Nor Sor 3 documents, representing about one-third of the country’s total land area.
Findings on Ownership Gaps
The research showed titled land ownership has the highest inequality, with a Gini coefficient of 0.7298, compared to Thailand’s income inequality at 0.417 in 2023. Nor Sor 3 Kor and Nor Sor 3 documents also reflected severe inequality.
On average, the top 10% of owners hold 710 times more land than the bottom 10%. By value, they control 348 times more. Each member of the top 1% owns about 81 rai of titled land worth around 35 million baht.
Regional disparities are clear. Bangkok and the Eastern region show the highest inequality for titled land, while the Western and Central regions lead for Nor Sor 3 Kor and Nor Sor 3 documents.
Juristic Land Concentration
The study found companies and other juristic persons hold more land than individuals, especially in economic centres like Phuket, Samut Prakan, and Chonburi. Bangkok residents alone hold land in other provinces equal to 5% of national land, with Pathum Thani, Nakhon Nayok, and Samut Prakan among the top destinations.
Patterns also indicate wealthy owners tend to buy land in neighbouring provinces, except in large urban or industrial areas where purchases are made as investment assets.
Proposals for Broader Access
Participants recommended expanding research to examine owners’ income, methods of acquisition, and intergenerational transfers. They also suggested connecting the data to a “land tax map” to show actual land and building use.
Policy ideas included increasing access for low-income groups through flexible land use, with tax incentives for owners who share land for community use. Another proposal encouraged vertical land use in cities, with space set aside in high-rise buildings for affordable food courts or community areas.
Expanding access to underused state land was also advised, with clear criteria and conditions to allow community use. Collective models such as cooperatives and community-led management were suggested to ensure equitable and sustainable utilisation.
