Unveiling the Mystique: Color-coding the 4 different Garuda emblems on the land title deed

In real estate, besides knowing projects, there's more – land and title deeds. It's not only what's written inside, but also the colors used that matter. You might wonder: Why do the Garuda emblems come in different colors?

Well, today, PropertyScout is going to help you color-code these documents. What's in it? Let's dive in and find out!

The Biggest Questions

Before we explore the colors on land title deeds, let's understand what they are all about. Find out what this is, how important it is when buying or selling property today, and how having one can be helpful. Let's begin!

What they are

A land title deed is an official paper that proves you own a piece of land. The government gives it out, and it has a special symbol on it. This paper follows today's land laws and might show a map, special notes, and approvals for using the land. Even if the paper follows old laws, the owner still owns the land.

When you have full ownership, you can control the land, sell it, or stop unauthorized usage.

Characteristics

When we want to figure out which paper is a land title, it's not only about written content and usage. Its basic characteristics matter too. So, let's see what every land title paper should have.

• Size: 24 X 36 cm.
• The paper is yellowish in color and has a unique pattern.
• There's a signature and an official stamp from an officer.
• The backside has the land ownership history & an official's signature.
• When you shine a light on the title, you'll see the official emblem surrounded by a circle. It says "Department of Land, Ministry of Thailand."

Why this Matters

The next question is why the Land Title Deed Matters. This paper helps us keep our benefits and rights to the land we own safe. It also tells us who the real owner is. Knowing the owner is super useful, especially when you're buying or selling. It's not about the land; it's also about any buildings or stuff on it.

The Benefits

• Shows proof of legal land ownership along with proof of identity verification.
• Solidified proof of ownership for landowners.
• Used as evidence to establish rights, both for government and private purposes.
• Provides location details, boundaries, and individual plot sizes.
• Prevents issues of unauthorized land expansion (reserved zones, conservation areas, and public lands in particular).
• Used as evidence to resolve disputes, disagreements, or claims over land rights.
• Serves as proof of assets or collateral for loan applications.
• Serves as collateral for guaranteeing loans.
• Provides a stable economic foundation, leading to reduced production costs.
• Fosters a sense of attachment and concern for one's land, motivating improvement and development efforts for maximum benefits.
• Checking land papers for land with title deeds is quick and helpful for selling, transferring, or paying for land, except inheritance.
• Doing legal stuff with land that has title deeds or use certificates.
• For legalities like buying, swapping, mortgaging, or selling with special conditions, you need the deed to register with the land office where the land is.
• For legal things with land that has use certificates (like Nor. Sor. 3, Nor. Sor. 3 Gor, Nor. Sor. 3 Kor), you need to register at the district land office where the land is. This follows the law, unless the district officer's power for registration and legal stuff gets canceled. Then, you must register at the land office where the land is.

What to be Aware of

While these important documents help show land ownership and protect benefits, rules exist. If you keep a land title for over 10 years, or a use certificate for 5 years, the land might become government property. If someone uses your land without an agreement for over 10 years, they could gain rights to it too.

Types of Land Title Deeds

Now, let's talk about the different kinds of land titles. It's not only one or two types, but a bunch of them. There are different types and even colors for distinction. Here's how we can break them down:

Red Garuda Deeds

Red Garuda Deeds, or Nor. Sor. 4 (นส.4 ), are all about direct owner sales. They have a clear photo of the land from the sky. With this title, owners can do things on their own, like buying, selling, transferring, and more. It's super valuable because of the rights it offers.

We can tell its age by the last letter in its code. If it's "ก" (ghor), it's the oldest. The new one ends with "จ" (jhor), like "น.ส.4 จ." (Nor. Sor. 4. Jhor.).

For this title, if you do a transaction, you need to register it at the local land office. If not, the deal doesn't count.

Age of Title: 10 years

Nature of Ownership: Buying, selling, transferring at ease.

Caution: If someone occupies the land for 10+ years, without concealment, they might gain rights to the land after a 10-year period.

Green Garuda Deeds

Green Garuda Deeds, also known as Nor. Sor. 3 Gor (น.ส.3 ก), are certificates of use. They signify that this document demonstrates the ownership rights over the land for beneficial purposes. It includes a clear aerial photograph, similar to Nor. Sor. 4 or Red Title Deeds. The main difference between the red and green versions is that while the red title allows leaving the land vacant, the green title requires using the land for beneficial purposes.

With Nor. Sor. 3 Gor, you can buy, sell, transfer, and mortgage, including with banks. Once the land gets surveyed, owners can request this title without waiting for the 30-day public announcement. It certifies ownership rights but not full ownership.

The transfer document comes in three forms: Nor. Sor. 3 (น.ส. 3), Nor. Sor. 3 Gor (น.ส. 3 ก), and Form No. 3 (which is no longer issued).

These types of titles are not actual land titles until you submit them to the land office.

Age of Title: Unspecified

Nature of Ownership: Can possess for beneficial use without full ownership rights and you can buy, sell, and mortgage without requiring public announcement.

Caution: May get claimed by others if possessed for over 1 year.

Notes

Property owners can ask to switch their rights document to a Nor. Sor. 4 title. This involves submitting a request at the local land office, and it won't cost anything. Once the boundaries are verified, you can get the title without waiting for 30 days. Later on, Red and Green Title Deeds will be given out, and the Green ones will be canceled.

Black Garuda Deeds

Black Garuda Deeds, also known as Nor. Sor. 3 or Nor. Sor. 3 Kor (น.ส. 3/น.ส. 3 ข), are quite like Dark Red Title Deeds or Nor. Sor. 3 Kor. But, the main difference is that these titles don't include clear aerial photos. Instead, they only provide a basic outline of the land's shape, size, and boundaries. The map they include might not be very accurate due to the materials available in that area.

Like the other types, you can use Black Garuda Deeds to apply for a land title. But here's the catch: you'll need land surveyors to assess the land and put up notices about it for 30 days. If nobody contests your ownership at that time, you can move ahead with the application. Once you get the title, you can use it for buying, selling, and even mortgaging the land.

These types of titles are not actual land titles until you submit them to the land office.

Age of Title: Unspecified

Nature of Ownership: Owning without ownership rights. You can buy, sell, and mortgage without the need for public announcement.

Caution: May get claimed by others if possessed for over 1 year.

Differences between Nor Sor 3 Gor (Green Garuda) and Nor Sor 3 (Black Garuda):

Blue/Red Garuda Deeds

Blue-Red Garuda Title Deeds, also called Nor. Sor. Kor 4-01 (ส.ป.ก.4-01), are papers that let people farm in a specific area. But, only farmers can have this title. People with this title can't say they own the land, can't get land papers, and can't buy or sell land. They can't let other people have the rights. This is unless they want to pass it down to their family when they're not around anymore. And that family can only use it for farming.

These papers are from the Land Reform for Agriculture Office (LRAO). This is to help people do farming in that area only.

*State-owned land titles that grant rights to the public for agricultural activities.

Age of Title: Unspecified due to inability to contest ownership.

Nature of Ownership: Granted rights include leasing, lease-purchasing, long-term renting, and agricultural use. Owners can transfer, divide, and pass down these rights as inheritance. Forbidden are selling, mortgaging, and utilizing the land for purposes other than agriculture.

Caution: Be sure to distinguish between the Blue-Red Garuda Title Deeds (Nor. Sor. Kor 4-01) and Nor. Sor. 4 title documents.

Differences between Blue-Red Garuda Title Deeds (Nor. Sor. Kor 4-01) and Nor. Sor. 4 title documents

Differences between the four types of Title Deeds

Closing Comments

Land titles are not only for ownership but also exist in different types. These include emblem colors and names. From Red Garuda for public use to Blue Garuda for agriculture, each type has unique features. The distinctions go further, varying in how to request and their purpose.

Before buying land, think about its type, purpose, and protections against conflicts. Also consider legal matters, and finances. It ensures proper property transactions. We hope this post helped. More articles to come. If you find interesting topics, PropertyScout will provide information. Goodbye and see you next time!

You may also be interested in....

Looking to rent, buy, sell, or invest in real estate? Get in touch with us!