Révisé par ThaiLawOnline, un cabinet d'avocats thaïlandais agréé exerçant en Thaïlande depuis 2006. Avocate thaïlandaise en charge du dossier : Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., licence du barreau thaïlandais 3149/2556.
Dernière mise à jour :
A avocat thaïlandais agréé (ทนายความ, thanai khwam, sometimes rendered attorney-at-law ou Thai barrister) is a person registered by the Lawyers Council of Thailand and holding a lawyer licence under the Lawyers Act B.E. 2528 (1985). Only a licensed lawyer may represent a party in a Thai court, sign pleadings and use the title thanai khwam. The licence is open to Thai nationals only, so a foreign lawyer in Thailand works as a legal consultant and cannot appear in court. For a foreigner choosing a lawyer, the licence is the first thing to check.
Table des matières
Ce qu'exige la loi sur les avocats de B.E. 2528
The Lawyers Act created the Conseil des avocats de Thaïlande as the self-regulating body that admits, disciplines and removes lawyers. The Act reserves court representation and the drafting of pleadings to lawyers on the Council’s register, and makes practising without a licence a criminal offence. To be admitted an applicant must be a Thai national of at least 20 years, hold a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Thai Bar qualification from an institution the Council recognises, be a member of the Thai Bar Association, and have passed the Council’s legal practice training and examination, or qualified through the supervised apprenticeship route.
Once admitted, the lawyer receives a licence card bearing a number in the form of a serial number followed by the Buddhist year of issue. Licences are issued for two years and renewed, or for life. The lawyer is bound by the Council’s regulations on professional ethics, and complaints go to the Council’s disciplinary committee, which can admonish, suspend or strike the lawyer off the register.
Comment un étranger vérifie et utilise le permis de conduire
Ask for the licence number and check it. The Lawyers Council keeps a public register and the number can be verified by telephone or through the Council’s online lookup. A business card that says “lawyer” or “legal adviser” proves nothing; the licence card does. Visa agencies and “consultants” who prepare court papers are the usual source of trouble, since work done by an unlicensed person leaves the client without professional recourse.
Court appearances require the lawyer’s own signature. A licensed lawyer files an appointment of attorney form with the court and appears in person; a procuration to a friend does not allow that friend to plead. Some licensed lawyers hold the additional registration as a Avocat en services notariaux, which the Council grants after a further course and which is what foreigners usually mean by a “Thai notary”.
Avocat, barrister thaïlandais, juge et consultant juridique
| Titre | Qualification | What it allows |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed lawyer (thanai khwam) | LL.B. plus Lawyers Council licence | Court representation, pleadings, legal advice |
| Thai barrister-at-law (netibandit) | Thai Bar examination after the LL.B. | Prerequisite for judges and public prosecutors; not itself a licence to practise |
| Judge or public prosecutor | Netibandit plus experience and a state examination | Judicial or prosecutorial office; may not practise privately |
| Foreign legal consultant | Foreign qualification, work permit | Advice on foreign law and transactions; no court work |
The word “barrister” causes confusion because Thai lawyers often translate netibandit that way, while the licence that matters in court is the Lawyers Council licence. A person can hold the Thai Bar qualification without being a licensed lawyer, and a licensed lawyer need not have passed the Thai Bar. For a client the relevant question is whether the person holds a current lawyer licence.
Foire aux questions
Un étranger peut-il être avocat inscrit au barreau en Thaïlande ?
Non. La loi sur les avocats restreint la licence d'avocat aux ressortissants thaïlandais, et la profession juridique figure également sur la liste des professions fermées aux étrangers en vertu des règles relatives aux permis de travail. Un avocat étranger peut travailler en Thaïlande en tant que consultant juridique avec un permis de travail, en conseillant sur le droit étranger ou les transactions internationales, mais il ne peut pas comparaître devant un tribunal thaïlandais ni signer d'actes de procédure.
How do I verify a Thai lawyer’s licence?
Demandez le numéro de licence, qui figure sur la carte du Conseil des avocats sous la forme d'un numéro de série suivi de l'année bouddhiste, et vérifiez-le auprès du Conseil des avocats de Thaïlande, qui tient un registre public. Un avocat qui hésite à montrer sa carte ou dont le nom ne figure pas sur le registre ne doit pas être engagé pour des affaires judiciaires.
Quelle est la différence entre un avocat agréé et un avocat thaïlandais (barrister) ?
A licensed lawyer holds the Lawyers Council licence that permits practice and court representation. A Thai barrister-at-law (netibandit) has passed the Thai Bar Association’s examination, which is the academic step required to become a judge or prosecutor. Many lawyers hold both, but only the licence gives the right to practise.
Voir aussi : registered Thai lawyer and the licence number, Conseil des avocats de Thaïlande, notaire, LL.B., and our guides on Comment choisir un avocat en Thaïlande et le ethical code for Thai lawyers.
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