The practical guide for work-permit, BOI/LTR, retirement, marriage and DTV visa holders leasing in Chonburi β the best areas for your visa, standard lease terms and deposits, the documents landlords and employers ask for, and the TM30, 90-day and re-entry rules every foreign tenant needs to get right across Sriracha, Laem Chabang, Amata Nakorn and Bang Saen.
Chonburi's rental market is unusual in Thailand because most long-stay tenants aren't independent expats β they're engineers, managers and executives sponsored by an Eastern Economic Corridor employer at Amata Nakorn, Laem Chabang port or elsewhere in the corridor, holding a Non-B work permit or a BOI/LTR privilege. That reshapes the usual playbook: Sriracha's condos are built around corporate relocation and the province's large Japanese-expat community, many leases are arranged or subsidised by the employer directly, and landlords routinely ask for an assignment letter alongside the usual passport and visa evidence. A smaller, independent community of retirees, married couples and a handful of DTV holders rents in Bang Saen or Chonburi city centre on the standard Thai terms: one-to-two-month deposit, one month advance, and a landlord who files the TM30. For a full immigration breakdown see the Chonburi (Sriracha) immigration office guide and the Visa Knowledge Center; for live rents by area use the Chonburi areas guide.
Each long-stay route tends to suit a different corner of Chonburi and a different lease. Here's the quick map from visa to the areas and lease structures that fit it best.
| Visa | Who it's for | Best Chonburi areas | Typical lease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Immigrant B + Work Permit | Chonburi's largest group by far β engineers, managers and staff sponsored by Japanese and multinational manufacturers at Amata Nakorn, Laem Chabang port and the wider EEC | Sriracha, near Amata Nakorn & the port | 12 months, corporate condo β often arranged or subsidised by the employer |
| BOI / LTR (Long-Term Resident) | Senior executives and BOI-privileged professionals at multinational manufacturers and logistics firms in the EEC | Sriracha | 12 months+, premium condo or serviced apartment |
| Retirement (Non-O / O-A / O-X, age 50+) | A smaller, independent group choosing Chonburi for coastal living and lower cost than Pattaya rather than the EEC job market | Bang Saen, Chonburi city centre | 12 months, budget apartment or condo |
| Marriage (Non-O, Thai spouse) | Foreigners married to a Thai national settling outside the corporate-relocation bubble | Chonburi city centre, outlying districts | 12 months+, house with land |
| DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) | A small remote-work population; most who work in Chonburi hold a Non-B, not a DTV | Bang Saen, Sriracha | 6β12 months, furnished condo |
Sriracha is built for exactly this tenant: a dense corporate condo scene with the largest Japanese-expat community in the EEC, closest to Amata Nakorn's industrial estate and Laem Chabang's port, and the best mix of international schools, hospitals and everyday amenities. Most employer-arranged housing points here first β see the Chonburi areas guide for building-by-building detail.
For staff working the deep-sea port and surrounding logistics estate directly, functional rentals closer to Laem Chabang itself cut the commute compared with basing in Sriracha β though selection and amenities are thinner than the Sriracha corporate scene.
Bang Saen's beachfront and university-town character (home to Burapha University) suits retirees and independent long-stayers who want coastal living and a younger, more affordable rental market than Sriracha, with easier reach to Pattaya and Bangkok than the EEC industrial belt.
Houses with land are more available and cheaper outside Sriracha and Bang Saen, and the provincial capital keeps schools, hospitals and everyday errands within reach for families building a life around a Thai spouse rather than an employer posting.
The Chonburi standard for a furnished condo is a 12-month lease, one to two months' deposit and one month's rent in advance β so budget roughly two to three months' rent to move in if renting personally. Many EEC employers cover some or all of this through a housing allowance or a company-held lease. Figures are typical ranges, not quotes.
| Cost | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit | 1β2 months' rent | Refundable at lease end, less any damage or unpaid bills; keep a dated move-in photo record. Some Sriracha landlords ask for two months given how many tenants are on fixed-term EEC postings. |
| Advance rent | 1 month | Covers the first month; budget two to three months' rent up front if renting personally. |
| Corporate housing allowance | Varies by employer | Many EEC manufacturers and logistics firms provide a housing allowance or lease a Sriracha unit directly on the employee's behalf β confirm exactly what your assignment letter covers before signing anything yourself. |
| Agent fee (tenant) | Usually THB 0 | In Chonburi the landlord typically pays the agent, not the tenant; corporate relocations often route through a company-appointed agent instead. |
| Utilities transfer / setup | THB 0β2,000 | Electricity and water often stay in the owner's name and are re-billed; fibre internet is widely available in Sriracha and Bang Saen, less consistent near Laem Chabang's outer districts. |
| Short lease premium | +10β20% on rent | Leases under 6 months are priced above the local norm β Chonburi's rental market is built around settled corporate tenants and Bang Saen's university crowd, not short-term visitors. |
Model your full first payment with the move-in cost calculator and check what a monthly budget buys in each area on the Chonburi cost-of-living guide.
Corporate-arranged Sriracha rentals often move through an employer's relocation team; renting personally is light on paperwork but faster if you have these ready.
| Document | Why it's needed |
|---|---|
| Passport photo page | Bio-data page plus your current visa stamp or e-visa. |
| Visa / work permit evidence | Non-B visa stamp and work permit (or the BOI/LTR approval letter), or a retirement/marriage extension stamp β proof you can legally stay for the lease term. |
| Employer assignment / guarantee letter | For Sriracha corporate rentals, landlords commonly ask for an employer confirmation letter given how many tenants are on fixed-term postings rather than open-ended stays. |
| TM6 arrival card / entry stamp | Shows your permitted-to-stay date; landlords and agents check it against the lease length. |
| Proof of funds or income | Bank statement, pension or employer letter β straightforward for salaried EEC staff, more closely checked for independent retirees and marriage-visa tenants. |
| Deposit + first month | Cleared funds (Thai bank transfer or cash) to sign β foreign cards are rarely accepted. |
| Signed lease (English/Thai) | A dual-language lease is standard; corporate leases are sometimes signed in the employer's name rather than the employee's β clarify which applies to you. |
Within 24 hours of you moving in or returning from abroad, the property owner or their agent must file a TM30 notifying Immigration of where you're staying. It is legally the owner's duty, but a missing TM30 causes headaches at 90-day reports, work-permit renewals and re-entry β so confirm your landlord (or your employer's relocation team, if they arranged the unit) files it and keep the receipt.
If you stay in Thailand for 90 continuous days, you must report your current address to Immigration β online via the TM47 portal, by registered post, through an agent, or in person at the Sriracha Immigration Office serving Chonburi province. The clock resets each time you leave and re-enter the country. It's a notification, not a visa renewal, and there's no fee if done on time. See the full Chonburi immigration office guide for all filing methods.
Single-entry work permits, retirement and marriage extensions are cancelled the moment you leave Thailand unless you buy a re-entry permit first (single or multiple). Multi-entry visas like the LTR don't need one. Get it before any trip abroad at Suvarnabhumi, U-Tapao, or the Sriracha Immigration Office in advance. See the Chonburi visa run guide for the Suvarnabhumi air option and the Poipet/Ban Pakard land borders.
Because most Chonburi renters are on employer-sponsored Non-B visas, the practical constraint is often the length of the work assignment rather than the visa itself β postings get extended, cut short or relocated between EEC sites. Ask your employer's HR or relocation team whether the company or you personally holds the lease, and what happens to the deposit and notice period if the assignment changes.
LTR holders get a longer permitted stay and can typically file the 90-day report by mail or online with fewer in-person visits, which suits Sriracha's commuter distance from the immigration office. BOI-sponsored work permits also move faster through the system than a standalone Non-B application β useful to know when timing a lease start date against a pending approval.
Chonburi's foreigners are served by the Sriracha Immigration Office. Rules and thresholds change β confirm current requirements with Immigration, your employer's relocation team, or a licensed visa agent before you rely on them. See the full Chonburi immigration office guide for step-by-step detail.
Yes β a Non-Immigrant B visa and work permit sponsored by an EEC employer at Amata Nakorn, Laem Chabang or elsewhere in the corridor is by far the most common route into Chonburi housing, and it's what the local rental market is built around. Many employers arrange or subsidise a Sriracha condo directly; if you're renting personally, bring your visa stamp, work permit and an employer confirmation letter to sign quickly.
It depends on the company. Many EEC manufacturers and logistics firms provide a housing allowance or lease a Sriracha unit directly on the employee's behalf as part of the relocation package β confirm exactly what your assignment letter covers, including who holds the lease and what happens to the deposit if your posting changes. Independent renters follow the standard Thai process: 1β2 months' deposit plus one month's advance rent.
The Chonburi norm is one to two months' security deposit plus one month's rent in advance, so budget two to three months' rent in cleared funds if renting personally β in line with most of provincial Thailand. Sriracha landlords sometimes ask for two months given how often EEC postings run on fixed terms. The deposit is refundable at lease end, less any damage or unpaid utility bills.
Sriracha is the default choice β it has the largest corporate and Japanese-expat community, the widest condo selection, and is closest to the Amata Nakorn industrial estate and Laem Chabang port. Bang Saen suits those prioritising beachfront living and cost over proximity to the industrial estates, while Laem Chabang itself works for staff who want the shortest possible commute to the port.
The TM30 is an address notification that tells Immigration where a foreigner is staying. Legally it's the property owner's responsibility to file it within 24 hours of your arrival or return from abroad, not yours β but a missing TM30 can hold up your 90-day reports, work-permit renewals and re-entry. Confirm your landlord or your employer's relocation team files it, whichever arranged the lease, and keep the receipt.
It depends on your visa. Single-entry work permits, retirement and marriage extensions are cancelled the moment you leave Thailand unless you buy a re-entry permit first. Multi-entry visas such as the LTR don't need one. Arrange it in advance at the Sriracha Immigration Office, or at Suvarnabhumi or U-Tapao airport before departure.
Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.
Chonburi (Sriracha) immigration office guide Β· Chonburi visa run & border run guide Β· Chonburi areas guide Β· Opening a bank account in Chonburi Β· Chonburi hub
Match your visa (or your employer's relocation package) to the right side of Chonburi β corporate Sriracha, port-side Laem Chabang, or the Bang Saen coast β then run the move-in maths before you sign.
General information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, thresholds and reporting requirements change β confirm current details with Thai Immigration, your employer or a licensed professional.
Hero photo by Jakub Zerdzicki on Pexels.