Bang Saray: the quiet fishing village south of Pattaya, and what foreign buyers should know

Drive south from Pattaya along Sukhumvit Road, past Jomtien and Na Jomtien, and the high-rises give way to a low-rise fishing town. Bang Saray (on Thai road signs, Bang Sare) is in Sattahip district, Chonburi, about 20 km south of central Pattaya. For many people it is the calm alternative to the city.

What Bang Saray is like

Bang Saray is still a working fishing village. Boats come in to the pier in the early morning, and seafood restaurants line the waterfront beside it. Behind the shore, the old town is a mix of shophouses and temples, with the pier near Wat Bang Sare in the middle of the village.

The beach is a modest, calm stretch of sand, without the crowds and beach-chair rows of Pattaya. It suits people who want a quiet base with Pattaya's shops and hospitals within driving distance.

A few local details people value:

• The crab bank. In 2019 the Bang Saray fishing group set up a blue crab hatchery with Kasetsart University's Sriracha Fisheries Research Station. Egg-bearing crabs are kept until they spawn and the young are released into the sea.
• Local food. The village is known for seafood bought straight off the boats, and for ping ngop, a grilled fish curry paste.
• Getting around. You will want a car or a scooter. Songthaews run along the coast road, and ride-hailing apps work for trips to Pattaya. U-Tapao International Airport, which serves the Pattaya and Rayong area, is further down the coast.

Who it suits

• Retirees and remote workers who want the sea without the noise.
• Pattaya residents looking for a weekend place.
• Buyers who are happy to drive for big-city shopping and services.

What foreign buyers should know

These are the general rules. Your own situation may differ, so always get advice from a registered Thai lawyer before you pay a deposit.

Land and houses

Under the Land Code, foreigners generally cannot own land in Thailand. The exceptions are narrow and rarely used for homes. A foreigner can own a building separately from the land under some structures, but the usual way to hold a house is a registered lease.

Leases: 30 years is the limit

The Civil and Commercial Code (section 540) caps a lease of land or buildings at 30 years. A lease longer than three years must be registered at the Land Office, or it can only be enforced for three years.

Be careful with "30 + 30 + 30" or "90-year" offers. In Supreme Court Decision No. 4655/2566, the court held that renewals promised at the start of a 30-year lease were void as a way around the 30-year limit. You can renew a lease when it ends, but a pre-agreed renewal is not a secure right.

Condominiums: the 49% foreign quota

A foreigner can own a condominium unit outright under the Condominium Act, as long as:

1. The unit falls within the building's foreign quota. Foreigners together may own up to 49% of the total floor area of the units, not 49% of the number of units.
2. The purchase money comes into Thailand from abroad in foreign currency.
3. The receiving bank issues the Foreign Exchange Transaction form, which the Land Office needs to register you as owner.

Proposals to raise the condo quota or allow longer leases have been discussed, but as of 2026 they are proposals, not law. Buy under the rules in force today.

Looking around Bang Saray?

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