A Thai law firm for foreigners since 2006. 5,000+ client matters. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556. English, Thai and French. We answer within 24 hours.
Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
Last updated on
A family-law consultation should leave you knowing what needs to happen next. For some couples, the immediate task is a divorce agreement suitable for registration. For others, the urgent issue is a child’s living arrangements, an unanswered court document or money being moved out of reach.
Tell us the deadline first. Then explain where the marriage was registered, where each person lives and whether children or assets are involved. Those facts determine the work more reliably than a general request for a divorce lawyer.
Identify the issue before choosing a procedure
| Your situation | The first questions |
|---|---|
| You both agree to divorce | Is registration available in your circumstances? Are the property, debt, parental-power and support terms settled and recorded? |
| Your spouse refuses to divorce | Which legal ground and evidence support a court claim? Which court has jurisdiction? |
| You disagree about a child | Who presently holds parental power? What do the existing registration records, agreements or orders say? |
| You plan to marry | Which civil-status documents are required? Does a prenuptial agreement need to be prepared before registration? |
| Your family lives across borders | Where will a Thai document or order need to be recognised or enforced? |
Our Thai family law overview explains the underlying rules. This page focuses on preparing the matter and choosing the right scope of assistance.
Divorce: settle the terms before signing
A divorce by consent and a contested divorce follow different routes. An agreement to separate is not necessarily a completed legal divorce. For a registered marriage, the registration requirements matter; a disputed case requires an assessment of the legal grounds and evidence.
Do not treat the financial settlement as an afterthought. Identify the assets, debts, ownership documents and payment dates. If one spouse will transfer property or pay money later, specify what must be done, by whom and when. Check whether further registration or third-party consent is needed.
Where children are involved, deal expressly with parental power, living arrangements, contact and support. A vague promise to be reasonable leaves too much unresolved. The Department of Provincial Administration’s registration guidance explains the administrative framework for consensual divorce.
Children: separate legal authority from daily care
A child living with one parent does not answer every question about legal decision-making. Review the parents’ marital status, the child’s legal parentage and any existing order before deciding what application or agreement is needed.
Describe the child’s routine, schooling, health needs and present contact with each parent. A proposal supported by those facts is more useful than general accusations about the other parent. See our child custody service page for the documents and practical issues to prepare.
When another country is involved
A Thai divorce, custody order or adoption does not answer every question abroad. Recognition, enforcement, immigration and the use of translated or legalised documents require their own review. Identify the country where the result must take effect at the beginning of the matter.
Do not move a child across a border to improve your position in a dispute. Review parental authority, existing orders and required consent before travel. For adoption, start with our Thailand adoption guide and identify both countries involved.
Agree who does what
Ask who is responsible for advice, negotiations and court attendance, and how English and Thai documents will be explained. Confirm whether the quote covers only an agreement, registration assistance, a court case or enforcement afterwards. Translation, travel and official costs should be addressed expressly.
No responsible lawyer should promise a particular judgment before reviewing the evidence. A useful assessment explains the strongest and weakest points, the missing records and the next decision. If litigation is necessary, ask how you will receive updates and approve settlement proposals.
Prepare for the first consultation
Provide copies of the documents relevant to your case:
- Passports or identity documents and marriage or divorce records.
- Children’s birth certificates and any parentage or parental-power records.
- Existing agreements, court papers and orders.
- Relevant property titles, account records and debt documents.
- A short chronology with the next hearing or response deadline.
Keep original messages and documents. A selected screenshot rarely provides the same context as the complete exchange.
Book a family-law consultation and state the result you need: an agreement, registration, court representation or help implementing an existing order. Read client feedback alongside the proposed scope and fee.
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.