Reviewed by Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556, for ThaiLawOnline, a Thai law firm acting for foreigners since 2006.
Update log
- 2 November 2026: Added the statute box with Thai, English and French text and checked the page against the official text
Director filings become online-only on 1 November 2026
From 1 November 2026, director appointments, removals and changes to signing authority must be filed through DBD Biz Regist. Paper walk-in filing will no longer be available. The corporate decision, supporting documents and the fourteen-day registration deadline remain unchanged, so a visit to a DBD or provincial commerce counter will not preserve the deadline. Read the official DBD announcement and use the DBD Biz Regist portal.
Changing a company director requires a valid corporate decision, the correct signatures and a timely DBD filing. The procedure differs between a new appointment, a resignation, a disputed removal and a change of signing authority. Start with the company’s articles and current registration records.
Director appointments start at incorporation, which is covered in our guide to business setup in Thailand.
Table of Contents
Director Qualification Requirements
A director must be a natural person. Check legal capacity, bankruptcy, the company’s articles and any licence-specific qualifications before appointment. Foreign nationality alone does not prevent someone from directing an ordinary Thai private limited company; regulated activities require a separate check.
There is no universal rule requiring every private-company director to be at least 20. Clause 49 of the DBD registration regulation expressly addresses registration of minors aged at least 12 who sign the application themselves. A proposed minor director needs a separate legal-capacity and consent assessment.
The Appointment Process of a Company Director in Thailand
Shareholders’ Meeting Requirement
A general meeting appoints or removes directors under Section 1151 of the Civil and Commercial Code. There is an exception for a vacancy arising otherwise than by rotation: Section 1155 allows the remaining directors to appoint a replacement for the unexpired term. Identify the correct decision-making body before preparing the minutes.
Meeting Procedures
For an ordinary general meeting, Section 1175 requires notice by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt to every shareholder named in the register, at least seven days before the meeting. A meeting for a special resolution requires at least fourteen days. Check the articles for additional requirements. Bearer-share companies have an additional publication requirement; articles retaining a newspaper-notice rule also need attention.
Under Section 1178, the general-meeting quorum is at least two shareholders or their proxies, together representing at least one-quarter of the company’s capital. This is a capital test, not a requirement for one-quarter of all shareholders to attend. Record attendance, proxies, voting and the resolution accurately.
Documentation and Registration
Section 1157 requires registration of a director change within fourteen days of the change. Prepare the applicable DBD forms, the resolution or resignation evidence, identity documents, new-director details and the proposed signing-authority wording. Use shareholder minutes for a shareholder decision and board minutes for a valid board decision.
Overseas signing is not prohibited. Clause 48 of the DBD registration regulation provides methods for certifying a signature made abroad, including signing before an authorised Thai embassy or consular official. Other certification routes have their own conditions. Confirm the route and document formalities before signing; an ordinary emailed scan is not equivalent to completing the required process.
DBD Biz Regist has its own identity-verification and electronic-signing procedures. From 1 November 2026 the amendment itself must be filed online. Do not assume every supporting document requires wet ink, or every foreign director must travel to Thailand; confirm the correct signing and certification route before the corporate decision takes effect and the fourteen-day filing period starts.
The law behind this page
English
Section 1151
Full text
Directors may be appointed or removed only by the general meeting.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1157
Full text
When there is a change of directors, the company shall have it registered within fourteen days from the date of the change.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1155
Full text
If a vacancy occurs on the board of directors for any reason other than retirement by rotation, the directors may elect another person to fill the vacancy, but a person who becomes a director in this way may hold office only for the remaining period for which the departing director would have been entitled to hold office.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1153/1
Full text
A director wishing to resign from office must tender a letter of resignation to the company. The resignation takes effect from the day the letter reaches the company. A director who resigns under paragraph one may also notify the registrar of his resignation.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1152
Full text
At the first ordinary meeting after the registration of the company, and at the first ordinary meeting in every subsequent year, one third of the directors must retire from office; if the number of directors cannot be divided exactly into three parts, the number nearest to one third shall retire.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1154
Full text
If a director becomes bankrupt or becomes an incompetent, that director vacates office.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1175Amended on 7 February 2023
Shareholder meeting, call.
Full text
Notice calling a general meeting shall be sent by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt to every shareholder named in the company's register not less than seven days before the date of the meeting. Where the company has shares for which share certificates have been issued to bearer, the notice shall in addition be published at least once in a local newspaper, or in electronic media in accordance with the rules and procedure prescribed by ministerial regulation, not less than seven days before that date. Where the notice calls a general meeting to pass a special resolution, this must be done not less than fourteen days before that date. The notice must state the place, the day, the hour and the nature of the business to be transacted; and where it calls a meeting to pass a special resolution, it must also state the text of the resolution to be proposed.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1178Amended on 7 February 2023
Full text
A general meeting may pass a resolution on any matter only if not less than two shareholders, or proxies of shareholders, attend the meeting and together hold not less than one fourth of the capital of the company.
ThaiLawOnline translation
ไทย
มาตรา 1151
ข้อความเต็ม
อันผู้เป็นกรรมการนั้น เฉพาะแต่ที่ประชุมใหญ่เท่านั้นอาจจะตั้งหรือถอนได้
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1157
ข้อความเต็ม
เมื่อมีการเปลี่ยนแปลงกรรมการ ให้บริษัทนำความไปจดทะเบียนภายในสิบสี่วันนับแต่วันที่มีการเปลี่ยนแปลง
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1155
ข้อความเต็ม
ถ้าตำแหน่งว่างลงในสภากรรมการเพราะเหตุอื่นนอกจากถึงคราวออกตามเวรไซร้ ท่านว่ากรรมการจะเลือกผู้อื่นตั้งขึ้นใหม่ให้เต็มที่ว่างก็ได้ แต่บุคคลที่ได้เป็นกรรมการใหม่เช่นนั้น ให้มีเวลาอยู่ในตำแหน่งได้เพียงเท่ากำหนดเวลาที่กรรมการผู้ออกไปนั้นชอบที่จะอยู่ได้
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1153/1
ข้อความเต็ม
กรรมการคนใดจะลาออกจากตำแหน่ง ให้ยื่นใบลาออกต่อบริษัท การลาออกมีผลนับแต่วันที่ใบลาออกไปถึงบริษัท กรรมการซึ่งลาออกตามวรรคหนึ่ง จะแจ้งการลาออกของตนให้นายทะเบียนทราบด้วยก็ได้
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1152
ข้อความเต็ม
ในเมื่อมีการประชุมสามัญครั้งแรกภายหลังแต่จดทะเบียนบริษัทก็ดี และในเมื่อมีการประชุมสามัญครั้งแรกในปีทุก ๆ ปีต่อไปก็ดี ผู้เป็นกรรมการต้องออกจากตำแหน่งโดยจำนวนหนึ่งในสามเป็นอัตรา ถ้าและจำนวนกรรมการจะแบ่งออกให้ตรงเป็นส่วนสามไม่ได้ ก็ให้ออกโดยจำนวนใกล้ที่สุดกับส่วนหนึ่งในสาม
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1154
ข้อความเต็ม
ถ้ากรรมการคนใดล้มละลาย หรือตกเป็นผู้ไร้ความสามารถไซร้ ท่านว่ากรรมการคนนั้นเป็นอันขาดจากตำแหน่ง
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1175แก้ไขเมื่อ 7 กุมภาพันธ์ 2566
ข้อความเต็ม
คำบอกกล่าวเรียกประชุมใหญ่ให้ส่งทางไปรษณีย์ตอบรับไปยังผู้ถือหุ้นทุกคนที่มีชื่อในทะเบียนของบริษัทก่อนวันนัดประชุมไม่น้อยกว่าเจ็ดวัน แต่ในกรณีที่บริษัทมีหุ้นชนิดที่มีใบหุ้นออกให้แก่ผู้ถือ ให้โฆษณาในหนังสือพิมพ์แห่งท้องที่อย่างน้อยหนึ่งครั้งหรือในสื่ออิเล็กทรอนิกส์ตามหลักเกณฑ์ วิธีการที่กำหนดในกฎกระทรวง ก่อนวันนัดประชุมไม่น้อยกว่าเจ็ดวันด้วย หากเป็นคำบอกกล่าวเรียกประชุมใหญ่เพื่อลงมติพิเศษให้กระทำการดังกล่าว ก่อนวันนัดประชุมไม่น้อยกว่าสิบสี่วัน คำบอกกล่าวเรียกประชุมใหญ่นั้น ให้ระบุสถานที่ วัน เวลา และสภาพแห่งกิจการที่จะได้ประชุมปรึกษากัน และในกรณีที่เป็นคำบอกกล่าวเรียกประชุมใหญ่เพื่อลงมติพิเศษให้ระบุข้อความที่จะนำเสนอให้ลงมติด้วย
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1178แก้ไขเมื่อ 7 กุมภาพันธ์ 2566
ข้อความเต็ม
การประชุมใหญ่ต้องมีผู้ถือหุ้นหรือผู้รับมอบฉันทะจากผู้ถือหุ้นเข้าร่วมประชุมกันไม่น้อยกว่าสองคนและมีจำนวนหุ้นนับรวมกันได้ไม่น้อยกว่าหนึ่งในสี่แห่งทุนของบริษัท จึงจะสามารถลงมติในเรื่องใด ๆ ได้
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
Français
Article 1151
Seule l'assemblée générale peut nommer ou révoquer les administrateurs.
résumé non officiel
Article 1157
Tout changement d'administrateurs doit être enregistré par la société dans les quatorze jours suivant ce changement.
résumé non officiel
Article 1155
Si un poste d'administrateur devient vacant pour une cause autre que le retrait par rotation, les administrateurs peuvent désigner un remplaçant. Celui-ci ne reste en fonction que pour la durée restant à courir du mandat de son prédécesseur.
résumé non officiel
Article 1153/1
L'administrateur qui démissionne remet sa démission par écrit à la société. Elle prend effet à la date où la société la reçoit. L'administrateur démissionnaire peut aussi en informer le conservateur du registre.
résumé non officiel
Article 1152
À la première assemblée ordinaire après l'immatriculation de la société, puis à la première assemblée ordinaire de chaque année, un tiers des administrateurs doit se retirer. Si leur nombre n'est pas divisible par trois, se retire le nombre le plus proche du tiers.
résumé non officiel
Article 1154
L'administrateur déclaré en faillite ou frappé d'incapacité perd de plein droit ses fonctions.
résumé non officiel
Article 1175Modifié le 7 février 2023
Convocation par recommandé avec accusé de réception à chaque actionnaire inscrit, sept jours au moins avant (quatorze si résolution spéciale); avec des actions au porteur, aussi une annonce dans la presse locale ou par voie électronique selon règlement ministériel. Elle indique lieu, date, heure, objet et résolution spéciale proposée.
résumé non officiel
Article 1178Modifié le 7 février 2023
L'assemblée générale ne peut statuer sur aucune question que si au moins deux actionnaires ou mandataires d'actionnaires sont présents, représentant ensemble au moins un quart du capital social.
résumé non officiel
Supreme Court decisions
- 2359/2567 (2024): A Director Cannot Run a Competing Business Without Shareholder Consent
Sources
- Civil and Commercial Code, Office of the Council of State, retrieved 31 October 2026
- deka.supremecourt.or.th, Supreme Court of Thailand decisions database (copy held in our library), retrieved 19 February 2026
The Removal Process of Company Director in Thailand
Grounds for Removal
Directors can be removed from their positions through several mechanisms:
Voluntary resignation through a formal resignation letter submitted to the company. The resignation takes effect from the date the letter reaches the company (section 1153/1).
Mandatory rotation at Annual General Meetings requires one-third of directors to resign by rotation. They can be re-elected right away.
Shareholder removal through a resolution passed at a shareholders’ meeting, which can remove any director before their term expires.
Automatic removal occurs when a director becomes bankrupt or legally incapacitated.
Removal Procedures
A resignation takes effect from the date the letter reaches the company (section 1153/1). Removal by shareholders requires a valid resolution and supporting evidence. The removed director does not hold a general veto merely by refusing to sign the removal. Identify the authorised applicant and review the registered signing clause, company seal and any dispute before filing.
Timeframes for Director Changes
Separate the time needed for a valid corporate decision from the time needed for registration. Notice, signatures, overseas certification and the foreign-participation documents often determine the timetable. The fourteen-day filing period runs from the relevant change; a service provider’s estimate does not extend it.
Urgency does not justify skipping statutory notice or inventing a meeting date. First check whether the law permits a different route, such as filling a qualifying casual vacancy through the board. After registration, update bank mandates, contracts, licences and access rights where affected.
Official Fees and Costs
Government Fees (DBD)
Ask for an itemised calculation for the particular filing. Registration fees, certificates, certified copies and stamp duty are separate items. Confirm the current tariff with DBD for the precise amendment and documents requested.
Professional Service Fees
Professional fees depend on the work: reviewing the articles, arranging a valid meeting, preparing the filing, certifying foreign documents and dealing with objections. Obtain a written quote separating professional fees from government charges and third-party expenses. A newspaper advertisement or notarised passport copy is not automatically required for every director change.
Factors Affecting Costs
A disputed removal, missing company records or overseas documents requires more work than an agreed appointment with complete records. Confirm the lawful filing route before paying for travel or an expedited service. Do not treat an unverified premium as an official government charge.
Special Considerations for Foreign Directors
Work Permit Requirements
Holding office as a director and performing work in Thailand are separate questions. Before a foreign director starts operational duties, check the activities, immigration status and applicable work permit or exemption requirements. Do not assume appointment as a director itself authorises work.
Signatory Authority
Foreign directors may hold sole or joint signing authority, subject to the company’s registered signing clause and applicable sector rules. A company with entirely Thai shareholders still needs to examine DBD Order No. 2/2569 when a foreigner becomes an authorised signatory.
The order has applied since 1 August 2026 and distinguishes incorporation from later amendments. Clauses 2 and 3 require the incorporation evidence pack where foreigners hold less than 50% of capital, or where there is no foreign shareholder but a foreign director signs for the company. The pack includes the Investment Explanation Letter, three months of the relevant Thai investors’ payment-account statements and receiving-account evidence.
For a later amendment changing previously all-Thai authorised signatories to include a foreign authorised or co-signing director, clause 4 requires the prescribed Investment Confirmation Letter. This is a different form. Clause 5 adds an Investment Explanation Letter and bank evidence of the paid-up capital if the entity was incorporated on or after 1 August 2026 and the qualifying amendment is filed within one year of incorporation.
Do not apply the incorporation checklist automatically to every amendment. Clauses 1 to 6 prescribe documents but do not state that every mismatch must result in outright rejection without an opportunity to correct the filing. Reconcile the payment evidence before submission and address any registrar query.
Documentation Requirements
Prepare the director’s identity and address details, appointment or resignation documents, relevant meeting records and the applicable DBD forms. For foreign documents, confirm translation and certification requirements for the chosen filing route. A work-permit application is a separate process and should not be confused with the director-registration checklist.
If Order No. 2/2569 applies, identify whether the filing requires the incorporation Explanation Letter, the amendment Confirmation Letter, or the additional first-year evidence under clause 5. Use the annexed form corresponding to the transaction.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
The recurring mistakes are using the wrong decision-making body, counting people instead of capital for the quorum, omitting required notice, assuming every overseas signature is invalid, and confusing the two investment letters. Keep proof of notice, attendance, payment and certification with the company records.
Strategic Considerations
Board Composition Planning
Consider appointing directors with complementary skills and availability. Having both Thai and foreign directors can provide operational flexibility for a private limited company, especially for companies serving both local and international markets.
Succession Planning
Identify suitable replacement candidates and keep the company records accessible. A succession plan does not itself appoint a director: complete the valid shareholder or board process applicable to the vacancy.
Authority Distribution
Clearly define each director’s authority and responsibilities in your Articles of Association to bind the company effectively. This prevents confusion and ensures smooth operations when director changes occur.
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026. Civil and Commercial Code sections 1151, 1152, 1153/1, 1154, 1155, 1157, 1175 and 1178 were read in Thai, and Central Registrar Order No. 2/2569 clauses 2 to 6 were read from the signed order. Not re-checked in this review: clauses 48 and 49 of the DBD registration regulation and the current DBD fee tariff. Re-checked on 10 October 2026: Civil and Commercial Code sections 1155, 1157, 1175 and 1178 re-read in Thai and found as stated; nothing changed; the 1 November 2026 online-only filing notice at the top of the page was not checked against the DBD announcement itself.
FAQS about Company Director in Thailand
What are the legal requirements to become a company director in Thailand?
A director must be a natural person with the required legal capacity and qualifications. Check the company’s articles, bankruptcy and any sector restrictions. A blanket minimum age of 20 is inaccurate: the DBD regulation contains a route for registering minors, requiring a separate capacity and consent assessment.
How do shareholders appoint a new director in Thailand (AGM/EGM), and what must be filed with the DBD?
Usually through a valid shareholders’ resolution, with the correct notice and quorum. Section 1155 separately permits the board to fill a qualifying vacancy for the unexpired term. Register the change within fourteen days and use the forms, identity evidence and signing process appropriate to the filing.
Can a foreigner be a company director in Thailand and do they need a work permit?
A foreigner may be a director of an ordinary private limited company, subject to sector rules. Performing work in Thailand is a separate immigration and work-authorisation question. Granting signing authority also requires checking the applicable documents under DBD Order No. 2/2569, even if all shareholders are Thai.
How do you remove or replace a director in Thailand, and how fast can it be done?
Use a valid resignation, shareholder removal or other lawful vacancy route. Follow the required notice, quorum and signing rules, then register the change within fourteen days. Urgency does not permit skipping notice. The removed director’s refusal to sign is not a general veto over a lawful removal.
What are the typical costs and common mistakes when changing directors in Thailand?
Get a written quote separating government fees, certificates, translations, certification and professional work. Common errors include invalid meeting procedure, late registration and the wrong investment form. Overseas signing is available through the prescribed certification routes; confirm the requirements before signing.
Before committing to a filing date, send us the current company affidavit, articles, shareholder register, proposed change and any resignation or dispute correspondence. We will identify the decision, documents and signature route required.
Sources checked for these corrections on 17 September 2026: DBD registration regulation, including clauses 48, 49 and the director-change provisions; DBD material reproducing the amended Sections 1175 and 1178; Order No. 2/2569 and its annexed forms.
Thai Law Updates, free by email
Plain-English updates on Thai law changes that affect foreigners: property, visas, marriage, business and wills. One short email a month from a firm practicing since 2006. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.