If you buy a house in Thailand as a foreigner, you can own the building itself outright.
However, you are not permitted to own the land that the house is located on, but you can own a leasehold to the land for up to 30 years at a time, according to the Thai property ownership laws.
A title deed or ‘chanote’ (โฉนดที่ดิน), is the official certificate of land ownership. The deed contains all details of the land in question. This is often confused with the Tabien Baan (ทะเบียนบ้าน), but the Tabien Baan is a document that confirms residence rather than ownership.
For a house to be transferred, both parties will need to speak with the local land office and present the required documents. A notification form will be publicly published in case somebody has an objection to the transfer. Once the 30 days is up, the process can be completed.
Note that it is particularly important to use a reputable real estate lawyer when buying a house in Thailand as a foreigner. The Thai property market is full of potential trapdoors and you will need the assistance of an experienced expert to help steer you clear of the pitfalls.
The entire process to purchase a house will usually take between 30 and 60 days from the onset of proceedings.