Decoding thai land deed colors. Red, green, black garuda meaning.

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Many people may overlook the three-colored Garuda emblems on land title deeds, which are a very important factor in land transactions. These emblems indicate whether the land you are interested in can be legally bought, sold, and mortgaged. To ensure that the land can be legally traded and that you can reliably take possession from the previous owner, the Garuda emblem helps you to be cautious and secure in your land transactions. There are three different colors:

Red Garuda: This is the Nor Sor 4 (N.S. 4) land title deed, which is issued for land located in urban areas or communities. There is a town plan, and the land use is clearly defined. The land has been surveyed into plots, and plot numbers have been assigned. It is considered the most reliable type of land title deed. It can be transferred, sold, and mortgaged because it has been verified and certified by the Department of Lands. The holder of this title deed has 100% ownership rights.

Green Garuda: This is the Certificate of Utilization, Nor Sor 3 Kor (N.S. 3 K). This document allows the land to be sold without a public announcement. The land ownership has been verified, but it is less reliable than the N.S. 4 title deed because it has not been officially surveyed (into precisely defined plots). However, the land can be utilized, but ownership is not full. Transfer, sale, and mortgage are permitted as usual. It can be upgraded to a full title deed (N.S.4) with the Department of Lands in the future.

Black Garuda: This is the Certificate of Utilization, Nor Sor 3 (N.S. 3). This title deed allows the land to be sold without a public announcement, similar to the N.S. 3 K. However, it is a document with low reliability because there has been no survey or clear definition of land use. It’s a “floating” map. Transfer, sale and mortgaging are possible (but the certification of rights is not yet formal, caution is advised). However, you must contact the Department of Lands officials to conduct a survey. After that, a 30-day public announcement period is required.

The Garuda emblem on a land title deed is a mark or symbol used to indicate the registration of property rights. It summarizes the plot number to show the right of possession. The Garuda emblem is also an important and sacred national symbol of Thailand. It appears on land title deeds to represent the ownership of the land by the Thai government. It is divided into 3 colors as follows:

The Red Garuda title deed, commonly known as Nor Sor 4 (N.S.4), is a full title deed. It has been surveyed, and includes an aerial photograph of the property on the deed, showing the boundaries of the land parcel and adjacent parcels. It is issued by the Department of Lands and has a red Garuda symbol at the top of the document. It is the most clear and reliable title deed showing ownership in the Thai land title system. It specifies the location of the land, the total area, the title deed number, and survey information to show ownership of that area. The holder can use the rights of the title deed to enter into various contracts, as follows:

Using the Rights of the N.S.4 Title Deed to Enter into Contracts

1. Mortgage Contract: The holder of an N.S.4 title deed can use the deed as collateral to secure a loan from a bank or financial institution.
2. Sale Contract: The holder of an N.S.4 title deed can enter into a contract to sell the land to another party, and the ownership of the land must be transferred according to the procedures.
3. Lease Contract: The holder of an N.S.4 title deed can enter into a contract to lease the land to another person.
4. Contract Granting Leasehold Rights: The holder of an N.S.4 title deed can enter into a contract granting leasehold rights to another person to construct buildings on the land.

Therefore, the holder of an N.S.4 title deed has the right to perform various legal acts related to the purchase, sale, transfer, mortgage, or lease of their land according to the law.

Determining the Age of an N.S.4 Title Deed: The age of an N.S.4 title deed can be observed from the characteristics of the paper and the ink used. Older title deeds will have yellowed, brittle paper and faded ink. You can also observe the style of the writing. For example, if the last letter of the document code is “ก” (Kor Kai), it is considered the oldest version of the document. The current version in use ends with “จ” (Jor Jan), such as N.S.4 Jor. Older title deeds used handwritten text, while newer title deeds (the current documents) use printed text.

Red Garuda Title Deeds (N.S.4) and Transfer Restrictions: N.S.4 documents may have restrictions on the transfer of the property, such as land. Usually, there will be a statement on the back of the document stating that the property cannot be transferred for a period of 5-10 years. This is to protect the rights of the original owner. If a sale of the land is taking place, this restriction should be carefully checked before proceeding with the transfer. The original owner must register the transfer of ownership at the Land Office in their area in the presence of an official. Otherwise, the sale may not be legally valid.

Adverse Possession: If the land is obstructed by another person, or occupied by someone who is not the title deed holder, and that occupation is not clandestine, hidden, or concealed, legal action may be considered. A claim for the right of possession can be made after a period of 10 years or more, using relevant laws, such as filing a petition for the court to order the person without the right to possess the land to vacate the property. This is an important point that the holder of a land title deed should be aware of.

The Green Garuda Title Deed, also known as Nor Sor 3 Kor (N.S.3.K), is a certificate of right to utilization. This deed allows the sale of the land without public notice, because the land occupation has been verified, and the land can be used beneficially, but it does not grant ownership. There is no land survey, but there is an aerial photo map of the property on the deed showing the boundaries of the land parcel and adjacent plots, similar to a Red Garuda title deed (Nor Sor 4/N.S.4). The Green Garuda title deed is a document that shows the right to possess land for utilization, such as for agriculture, growing rice, growing crops, or gardening. It may also be used for animal husbandry. It is land suitable for agricultural use, typically with an area not exceeding 5 rai.

The Green Garuda title deed differs from the Red Garuda title deed in that the holder of a Red Garuda title deed (Nor Sor 4/N.S.4) can leave the land vacant. However, the holder of a Green Garuda title deed (Nor Sor 3 Kor/N.S.3.K) must utilize the land; they cannot leave it vacant.

Using Rights Under an N.S.3.K Title Deed to Enter into Various Contracts:

1. Mortgage Agreement: An N.S.3.K title deed can be used as collateral to secure a loan from a bank or financial institution.
2. Sale Agreement: An N.S.3.K title deed can be used to execute a sale agreement for the land to another party. The transfer of rights must be done according to the law.
3. Lease Agreement: A lease agreement for the land under the N.S.3.K title deed can be made with another person.
4. Other Land-Related Contracts: Such as building construction contracts, land maintenance contracts, etc.

If verified by the district land office, the owner can immediately obtain ownership without waiting for a 30-day public notice and survey period. This certificate is an affirmation from the authorities granting possessory rights, but not ownership. Therefore, it can be used as evidence of land rights to conduct various legal transactions related to that land, in accordance with the law.

There are three types of transferable documents: Nor Sor 3 (N.S.3), Nor Sor 3 Kor (N.S.3.K), and Form Number 3 (which is no longer issued).

A Green Garuda Title Deed (Nor Sor 3 Kor/ N.S.3.K) is a document that shows the right to possess land, but it is not a document showing true ownership of the land. However, if the owner wishes to use this right to enter into contracts or to proceed with changing it to a full title deed, they can do so immediately with the district land office.

The Black Garuda title deed, also known as Nor Sor 3 (N.S.3), is a certificate of land utilization rights. This type of deed allows the land to be sold without a public notice period because the land possession has already been verified. This type of deed confirms land possession and allows for its utilization, but it does not grant ownership rights. The document’s characteristics and rights of possession are similar to Nor Sor 3 Kor (N.S.3.K). There is no official land survey and no aerial photograph of the property on the deed. It only includes a sketched shape of the land, showing the boundaries of the plot at an imprecise location. This is a “floating map” drawn based on stakes or materials used to mark the land boundaries.

This map is not verified by the Land Department. However, it can be used as evidence when applying for a full title deed (Chanote). An official must inspect the land and conduct a survey. Afterward, there is a 30-day public notice period. If there are no objections, the land rights can be processed, and a Nor Sor 3 title deed is successfully issued. This means the land has the rights associated with the deed and can be used for buying, selling, or mortgaging.

Using the rights of a Nor Sor 3 title deed for various contracts:

1. Mortgage Contract: The Nor Sor 3 title deed can be used as collateral to secure a loan from a bank or financial institution.
2. Sale Contract: The Nor Sor 3 title deed can be used to make a contract to sell the land to another party.
3. Lease Contract: A lease contract can be made to rent out the land according to the Nor Sor 3 title deed to another party.
4. Construction Contract: The Nor Sor 3 title deed can be used to make a contract to hire someone to construct buildings on the land.

Therefore, the Nor Sor 3 title deed can be used as evidence to enter into various legal contracts related to the sale, lease, or construction on the land, in accordance with the law.