Thai legal terms

The Consumer Protection Board issued 2025 regulations governing residential leases to protect tenants renting from professional landlords. These rules apply to tenancy agreements when the landlord is renting out more than 3 residential units.

voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man or woman and someone he or she is not married to giving grounds for divorce in Thailand

foreigners getting married in Thailand require an Affirmation of Marital Status (affidavit of freedom to marry). This is a statement certified by your embassy stating that you are legally free to marry. After it is signed by your embassy it must be translated to Thai by a licensed translator and legalized by the legalization division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. In this form it is an official document required to register your marriage with the district office (Amphur) in Thailand.

The age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is legally capable of consenting to sexual activity. In Thailand, the term is commonly associated with Penal Code Section 277, which makes sexual intercourse with a child not yet over fifteen an offence regardless of apparent consent.

Airbnb in Thailand is not entirely prohibited, but it is strictly regulated. Rentals of less than 30 days are generally considered a hotel activity and may require a license, whereas rentals of 30 days or more are typically permitted as standard residential leases. In condominium buildings, additional restrictions often apply through building regulations (juristic person rules), and landlords must also take into account TM30 reporting requirements as well as lease-related regulations when operating multiple rental units.

In Thai family law, alimony refers to financial support that one spouse may be ordered to pay the other after divorce under Section 1526 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code. It is awarded when the receiving spouse lacks sufficient means for self-support and considers factors such as income disparity, marital duration, and contributions during the marriage (click 'alimony' to read more).

The local government district administrative office for public matters and services between the government and people who are registered as having their domicile in their district (marriage, birth, death, divorce, address registration, etc.). Amphurs make up a province and are subdivided in Tambons.

usually refers to declaring a marriage invalid by the formal declaration that annuls the marriage. In Thailand under Thai law a marriage can be declared void and declared invalid pursuant the sections 1494 to 1500 civil and commercial code.

A unit designed for use as a dwelling in a multi unit building occupied by more than one household. When registered as a condominium with the Thailand Land Department offering individual private ownership of the units and joint ownership of the common parts of the property, without registion as a condominium the building usually remains owned by the developer offering rent of the units to different tenants.

The official appraised value is the government-assessed value of land, buildings or condominium units in Thailand. It is determined by the Treasury Department in accordance with the Land Code and is used as the basis for calculating various taxes, fees and duties, including Land and Buildings Tax and the minimum registration fees and taxes payable on property transfers. Appraised values are generally revised every four years to reflect changes in market conditions, although the effective valuation period may be extended by law or Royal Decree.

Share owned by the person who holds the share certificate without registration of the shareholder who is in possession of the share certificate and transferable only by delivery.

A mutual promise to marry or official engagement, under Thai law (section 1435) the act of a man promising to marry a woman made official by a gift (khongman) to his Thai fiancée (section 1437) and could include a gift (sinsod) to the woman's (fiancée) parents.

marrying one person while still legally married to another (not permitted in Thailand under section 1452 Civil Code and a criminal offense under section 137 of the Penal Code).

document issued by the Amphur or district office when the baby is registered (registration of birth must be done within 30 days of birth), foreigners residing in Thailand giving birth to a baby should contact their country's embassy or consulate.

A person, on completion of twenty years of age ceases to be a minor and becomes a person who is capable of managing one's own affairs and who has all the rights and is not under the power of another.

refers to one of the 76 official provinces of Thailand, each province is made up of Amphurs (Districts), which are again made up of Tambons (Sub-districts) which again are made up of Mubans (Villages).

Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor) – Thailand’s highest-ranking freehold title deed, issued by the Land Department, providing full ownership rights, exact parcel boundaries, owner names, and legal registration history.

Legal term (legal custody) which is used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and a child. In Thai law, “child custody” generally refers to parental power (อำนาจปกครอง): the legal right and duty to raise the child, decide residence, education, medical care, travel, and to manage the child’s property

Child support is the financial maintenance a parent must provide for a child’s needs; food, education, healthcare, and housing. Under Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code (Sections 1522 and 1564), both parents must support their child until age 20, regardless of marital status; for fathers, the duty applies once paternity is legally established.

Civil law is a legal system based primarily on written codes governing private relationships between individuals and juristic persons. Thailand follows the civil law tradition, with the Civil and Commercial Code as its main source of private law.

Section governing 'pre-filing court mediation' for civil cases (like divorce); no court fee, consent judgment if settled (Civil procedure code section 20 ตรี).

A marriage not formalized in the customary manner as prescribed by law but recognized as a valid marriage after a period of time in which a man and a woman have cohabited and presented themselves as husband and wife. 

The competent government official or person appointed by law with the power to perform a designated function.

A unit in a multi-unit residential building registered under the Thai Condominium Act, allowing individual units to be separately owned and transferred under their own condominium unit title deeds, together with a proportional co-ownership interest in the common property. A building containing multiple apartments or rooms is not legally a condominium unless it has been registered under the Condominium Act. Until then, separate ownership of individual units is not legally possible and no condominium unit title deeds can be issued.

This is a court divorce decree that adopts the spouses’ settlement (property, maintenance, custody, etc.). It’s a judgment, so it’s immediately enforceable through court execution if someone breaches. Thai courts actively encourage settlement and can even issue a consent judgment at/after mediation, including pre-filing mediation under Civil Procedure Code section 20 ter.

Contested divorce is a family court litigated marriage ending (คดีครอบครัว) used when spouses cannot amicable agree on key issues (grounds, custody, support, property), so an Amphur (district office) divorce is not available. Courts usually first invite both sides to mediation (ไกล่เกลี่ย); many disputes end there with a consent judgment (คำพิพากษาตามยอม). If there’s still no agreement, the case proceeds to a trial (สืบพยาน) with witness hearings before a judge.

Contract law in Thailand refers to the legal rules governing agreements between parties. It is codified in the Thai Civil and Commercial Code (click links below) and clarified through court decisions, which help interpret the meaning and application of legal terms and sections. These laws cover contract formation, performance, breach, and remedies.

Basically referring to the permission to reproduce photographs, text and other copyright protected material

Codified system of law, or body of laws, penal laws, dealing with the punishment of offenders prescribing offense against 'the public' or against another persona and prescribing a penalty for one who violates it.

short or abbreviation of 'Department of Business Development' of the Ministry of Commerce responsible among others for the registration and administration of companies and partnerships in Thailand

civil law term in relation to inheritance and sussession laws of the deceased as the testator 

Italian for believe or trust. Legal term for an arrangement in which an agent takes possession and agrees to sell goods for another and who guarantees that a buyer is trustworthy and, in case the buyer defaults, compensates the principal.

Divorce in Thailand is the legal procedure that formally terminates a marriage. The dissolution of marriage is governed by section 1501 and the following provisions of the chapter “Termination of Marriage” in the Thai Civil and Commercial Code.

A Thai divorce agreement (ข้อตกลงการหย่า) is a written contract signed by spouses during a mutual divorce in Thailand. It defines how property, debts, child custody, and financial support will be handled and is submitted when registering the divorce at the district office (Amphur).

A divorce certificate is a government-issued legal record confirming that a marriage has been officially terminated in accordance with the applicable laws. It typically includes the names of both parties, the date and place of divorce, and the registration number.

A court-run process (not private) that lets spouses settle before filing a case. Under the Civil Procedure Code (No. 32, 2020; section 20 ter), there is no court fee; if settlement is reached, the court can issue a consent judgment. Apply via the Court of Justice Mediation Portal.

“Divorced” means that a marriage has been legally dissolved by a court or competent civil authority.

Meaning the Department of Land Transport, Thai Government organization for Vehicle registration and renewal, driver's license issuance and renewal, vehicle ownership transfers, annual vehicle tax see: https://www.dlt.go.th/en/

under thai law the domicile of a natural person is the place where he has his principal residence. Also one's legal residence or the place where a person has his permanent principal home (section 37 civil and commercial code).

this is a sample, if you see dotted links in the text and you want to know more, just hover for a brief explanation, click dotted link for a detailed Thai law definition

preparation and investigation with a certain standard of care and caution into a real property, person or business before involving in an investment or entering into a contract with another party.