Reviewed by Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556, for ThaiLawOnline, a Thai law firm acting for foreigners since 2006.
Last updated on
This page explains what happens from the moment you write to us until your matter is closed: who answers, how long each step takes, how you pay, and what to do when something is urgent. Our fees are published on the pricing page. This page is about the process around them.
Table of Contents
In short
- Write to us by email, WhatsApp, LINE or the contact form. We reply within 24 to 48 hours, in English, French or Thai.
- Fixed-fee services (wills, usufructs, leases, prenuptial agreements, notarisation, title deed checks, the condominium package) can be ordered directly. The published price is the price.
- Everything else starts with a one-hour consultation at 2,000 THB, credited against your fee if you go ahead, followed by a written quote within 48 hours.
- No work starts before an engagement letter is signed and the first payment is received. No VAT is added to our fees.
- Legal work is performed by our Thai lawyers; the firm is managed by Sebastien H. Brousseau, LL.B., B.Sc., who has worked with foreign clients in Thailand since 2006.
Step by step: how a matter runs
- You contact us. Tell us the facts in your own words and attach any documents you already have (title deed, contract, marriage certificate, police paperwork). You do not need to know the Thai legal term for your problem.
- We reply within 24 to 48 hours. For a fixed-fee service you receive the order link and a document checklist. For anything else we propose a consultation slot, usually within 1 to 2 business days, by video call, phone or in person in Bangkok by appointment.
- Consultation (where needed). One hour with a bilingual Thai lawyer, 2,000 THB paid in advance. You leave with your legal options, a realistic outlook and a written fee estimate. If you then instruct us, the 2,000 THB is deducted from your fee.
- Written quote and engagement letter. Within 48 hours of the consultation you receive an itemised quote: fixed fee or tiered, with government and third-party costs listed separately at cost. You sign an engagement letter setting out the scope. Work outside that scope is quoted before it is done.
- Payment and documents. You pay the first instalment (or the full fixed fee) and upload your documents against the checklist in your client portal. Drafting starts when both are in.
- Draft, review, revision. You receive the draft within the published timeline (see the table below), in English and Thai where the document is bilingual. One round of revisions is included in fixed-fee documents; we explain every change you ask for and tell you plainly if something you want is not valid under Thai law.
- Signing, registration or filing. We send signing instructions (for wills and living wills, a bilingual signing guide), coordinate the Land Office, district office, court or notary appointment as the matter requires, and tell you exactly what to bring.
- Closing. You receive the final documents as PDF and, where relevant, originals by courier or EMS, with a receipt for every payment. Your file stays available in the portal.
Who you will deal with
Your first reply usually comes from Sebastien H. Brousseau, LL.B., B.Sc., Managing Director. He is a Canadian (Quebec) trained lawyer who has managed law firms in Thailand since 2006 and is not licensed to practise Thai law; his role is to understand your situation, explain the options in plain English or French and coordinate the file.
Legal work is performed by the firm’s Thai lawyers. Khun Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556, has handled family, property and estate matters for foreign clients with the firm since 2013 and is also a licensed Notarial Services Attorney. Document services (wills, prenuptial agreements, usufructs) and police clearance certificates are prepared by our paralegal team under her supervision. Meet the team on the Our Team page.
How to pay
| Method | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer to Kasikorn Bank | Clients in Thailand and abroad | Account name ThaiLaw Online Co., Ltd., SWIFT KASITHBK. Details are on every invoice. Required for police clearance certificates. |
| PromptPay | Clients with a Thai bank account | Instant, no fee. QR code on the invoice. |
| Wise | Clients abroad | Usually the cheapest way to send Thai baht from a foreign account. |
| PayPal | Consultations and fixed-fee documents from abroad | Pay to info@thailawonline.com or through the order page. |
| Online store (card or PayPal) | Wills, living wills, title deed checks, templates | Checkout on the service page; your order confirmation is your receipt. |
Fixed-fee documents are paid in full before drafting. Larger matters are invoiced in stages tied to deliverables (for example: on engagement, on filing, on judgment), never as an open-ended retainer unless you ask for one for recurring work. Government fees, Land Office transfer fees, court filing fees, translation and legalisation costs are passed through at cost and shown separately on the quote. No VAT is added to our fees. After paying, reply to our email with your payment confirmation so the file can move the same day.
How long things take
These are the timelines we work to once payment and complete documents are in. They are the same figures as on the pricing page; if the two ever differ, the pricing page is the reference and we will correct this one.
| Service | First draft or delivery | What can slow it down |
|---|---|---|
| Last Will (bilingual or Thai) | 3 business days | Missing passport copy, unclear asset list, beneficiaries without full names |
| Living Will drafted by us | 3 to 5 business days (instant if you build it online) | None usually |
| Prenuptial agreement | 5 business days | Must be signed before the marriage and registered with it at the Amphur; book your marriage date first |
| Divorce by mutual consent | Agreement in 3 to 5 days, registered in one visit | Both spouses must attend the district office in person |
| Usufruct or lease agreement | 3 to 7 business days | Land Office appointment availability; owner’s spouse consent |
| Title Deed Check | 3 business days | Land Office processing in some provinces |
| Condominium full legal package | 7 to 14 business days, transfer day itself 1 day | Developer or seller slow to provide documents; foreign quota confirmation |
| Power of attorney | 1 to 2 business days | Legalisation at your embassy if signed abroad |
| Notarisation | 3 to 5 business days including courier | International courier times |
| Police Clearance Certificate | 25 to 30 days after originals received; fast track about 7 days from scans | Fingerprint cards not taken correctly; missing passport pages |
| Company registration | 14 to 21 business days | Name reservation refused; bank account opening |
| Permanent residency | 12 to 18 months after filing; applications open once a year | Government processing; no timeline can be guaranteed |
Response times, hours and where we are
We reply to every new enquiry within 24 to 48 hours, in English, French or Thai. Existing clients are answered faster because their lawyer already knows the file. If you have not heard from us within two business days, your message did not reach us: write again or send a WhatsApp message.
We work remotely by design. Our registered office is at Udom Suk Hub, 32 Sukhumvit 101/2 Alley, Bang Na Nuea, Bang Na, Bangkok 10260, open by appointment only, so there are no walk-in hours. Most clients never need to visit: consultations are by video or phone, documents are signed where you live with our written instructions, and originals travel by courier. Our Thai lawyers attend the Land Office, district office or court with you where the matter requires it. See how we work with clients abroad.
Phone and WhatsApp: +66 87 225 1340 (English and French). Phone: +66 87 414 9288 (Thai and English). LINE: @852pntmy. Email: info@thailawonline.com.
Urgent matters
Some problems cannot wait 48 hours: a relative arrested or detained, a transfer at the Land Office tomorrow, a visa that expires this week, a death in the family with a Thai estate to secure. For these:
- Send a WhatsApp message to +66 87 225 1340 and put the word URGENT and the city at the start. Urgent messages are read first.
- Give us the essential facts in a few lines: who, where, what has already happened, and any deadline or court date.
- We call you back as soon as a lawyer is free, normally the same day, and tell you honestly whether we can act in time and what it will cost. For arrests, read what to do if a foreigner is arrested in Thailand and bail in Thailand while you wait.
- Urgent work is still quoted in writing before it starts, but the quote comes within hours rather than days, and we can begin on a signed engagement letter and a transfer confirmation.
For a genuine emergency involving physical safety, call the Thai Tourist Police on 1155 first; they have English-speaking operators.
Your client portal and documents
Every client gets a portal login. It shows the status of each step, the document checklist, what we are waiting for from you, and every draft, invoice and receipt. Upload your documents there rather than by email when you can: it keeps everything in one place and nothing gets lost in a long thread. Log in at My Account.
We keep your file after the matter closes so that a later question (a new property, a changed will, a child born) can be answered without starting from zero. Original wills can be kept in safekeeping at the firm for a one-time fee of 1,000 THB.
What we will always tell you
- Whether your plan is valid under Thai law, before you pay for the document. If a clause you want cannot be registered, we say so and propose what can.
- What the realistic outcome and cost of a dispute are, including when the sensible answer is not to litigate.
- That no result can be guaranteed in court, at Immigration or at the Land Office, and that government timelines are outside our control.
- That we are a law firm, not a visa agency: we do not obtain visas through unofficial channels and we do not sell outcomes.
- Exactly what is and is not included in a fixed fee, in writing, before you order.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to come to Bangkok?
No. Almost every matter is handled by email, video call and courier. Our Thai lawyers travel to the Land Office, district office or court when a matter requires a physical presence, and we tell you in advance when yours does.
How quickly will you answer my first message?
Within 24 to 48 hours. Mark the message URGENT on WhatsApp if it cannot wait, and we read it first.
Is the consultation fee refunded if I hire you?
Yes. The 2,000 THB consultation fee is credited against your fee when you instruct us on the matter discussed.
Can I order a will or a prenuptial agreement without a consultation?
Yes. Fixed-fee documents are ordered directly from their service page. You complete a questionnaire, we draft, you review, and we include one round of revisions. If your situation turns out to need advice first, we tell you before drafting.
Which currencies and payment methods do you accept?
Fees are in Thai baht. You can pay by bank transfer to Kasikorn Bank, PromptPay, Wise, PayPal or by card through the online store for documents. Police clearance certificates are paid by bank transfer only.
Do you charge VAT?
No VAT is added to our fees. Government fees, court fees and third-party costs are passed through at cost and listed separately.
Who actually does the legal work?
Our Thai lawyers, led by Khun Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556. Sebastien H. Brousseau manages the firm and the client relationship; as a foreigner he cannot practise Thai law and does not.
What happens if my matter needs more work than quoted?
We stop and send you a written quote for the additional scope before doing it. You never receive an invoice for work you did not agree to.
Can you work with my lawyer at home?
Yes. For estates, prenuptial agreements and property structures involving another country we routinely provide written coordination notes to your lawyer abroad, in English or French.
Ready to start?
Order a fixed-fee service from its page, or book a consultation and we take it from there. Every price is on the pricing page, and every step of the process is the one described above.
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