11/2550 Thailand Supreme Court Opinion 88 (No. 6436) 2007
Mr. La Suntha vs. Mr. Sommai Lomsiri or Somsiri or Lomesiri et. al.

Re: Purchase of Immovable Property, Transfer of Land Possessory Rights

The first defendant sold the disputed Thailand land with no title deed and transferred the right of possession to the plaintiff, although initially the first defendant had no intention of entering into a written agreement with the plaintiff. Consequently, the written agreement entered into by the parties was considered null and void. However, the transfer of possessory right of the land by the first defendant was according to section 1378 of the Civil and Commercial Code. Hence, the plaintiff rightfully possesses the land. The first defendant has no right to register the transfer of possessory right to the second defendant because nemo dat qui non habet, or “no one can give who does not possess.”