Guides
When a licence is required, who applies, and why a legal well protects you at resale time.
June 1, 2026 · 6 min read
Thai groundwater law is one of those topics where island rumour runs ahead of the facts. Some owners believe any hole needs a ministry file; others have been told permits are 'not really checked'. Both versions cost people money. Here's the practical picture.
The Groundwater Act requires a licence for wells beyond specified depth and usage thresholds — which covers most drilled household and commercial wells in designated groundwater zones. Shallow hand-dug wells for minor domestic use generally sit outside the regime. The exact thresholds are technical; the practical takeaway is simpler: assume a drilled well needs paperwork until someone qualified confirms otherwise.
Commonly, the licensed drilling contractor prepares the application as part of the job, with the owner providing ownership documents, and the drilling standards and completion report follow from that. Who does what can differ by project and by authority, so agree it in writing before drilling. If a contractor waves the topic away entirely, treat that as information about the contractor.
Ask at the quotation stage whether your project needs a permit or notification, who will prepare it, and whether that work is included in the price. For a definitive answer on your plot, check with the relevant groundwater authority or a qualified adviser; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Guides
A well nobody uses does not simply sit there. Left open and unprotected, it becomes a pipe from the surface straight into the groundwater your neighbours drink. This guide covers what an idle bore turns into, how to keep one safely for later, and what proper decommissioning actually involves.
October 22, 2026 · 9 min read
Guides
Depth protects well water from a lot, but not from the top. The few metres where the casing meets the ground are where rain, runoff and wastewater find their way in, and they are entirely within the owner's control.
October 8, 2026 · 9 min read
Guides
"Own deep well" in a listing can mean a reliable borehole with ten years of records, or a hole in the garden with a tired pump and no history. A few days of checks before you commit tell you which, and what it will cost to live with.
October 7, 2026 · 9 min read