{"id":1739,"date":"2023-07-05T10:48:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T03:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/thai-family-law\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T01:01:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:01:37","slug":"thai-family-law","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thai-family-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Thai Family Law: Marriage, Divorce, Custody and Inheritance"},"content":{"rendered":"<nav class=\"tlo-crumb\" aria-label=\"chapelure\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/\">Maison<\/a> \u203a <span>Droit de la famille tha\u00eflandais<\/span><\/nav>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thai family law in one page<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thai family law is set out in Book 5 of the Civil and Commercial Code, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thai-civil-code\/section-1435\/\">sections 1435<\/a> to 1598\/41. It governs engagement, marriage, marital property, divorce, parentage, custody, legitimation and adoption. Two things surprise most foreigners. First, only a marriage registered at an <em>amphoe<\/em> (district office) has legal effect in Thailand, so a temple ceremony or a hotel blessing on its own creates no rights at all. Second, Thailand splits everything a couple owns into <em>p\u00e9ch\u00e9 suan tua<\/em> (personal property, kept by the owner) and <em>sans sommeil<\/em> (marital property, divided in half on divorce), and that split is decided by when and how an asset was acquired, not by whose name is on the paperwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This page is the map. Each section below explains one area in plain language and links to the full guide for it. If your situation is urgent, such as a child taken abroad or a divorce already filed against you, go straight to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/book-consultation\/\">r\u00e9server une consultation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting married in Thailand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A marriage in Thailand is created by registration at a district office, not by a ceremony. A foreigner normally needs an affirmation of freedom to marry from their embassy, translated into Thai and legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before the district office will register anything. Once registered, the marriage is valid worldwide and carries immediate consequences for property, tax and immigration status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start with our full guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/marriage-in-thailand\/\">getting legally married in Thailand<\/a>, which covers the documents, the order of the steps and the common refusals. If you want to understand what changes the moment you sign, read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/consequences-of-marriage-in-thailand\/\">the legal consequences of marriage in Thailand<\/a>. We also handle the paperwork directly through our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/marriage-registration-service-in-bangkok\/\">marriage registration service in Bangkok<\/a>, and we explain where a religious ceremony fits in our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/buddhist-marriage-in-thailand\/\">Mariage bouddhiste en Tha\u00eflande<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Engagement, sin sod and the family expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Code deals with engagement in sections 1435 to 1447, and it treats the engagement property (<em>khongman<\/em>) differently from the dowry paid to the bride&#8217;s family (<em>sin sod<\/em>). An engagement is only legally recognised if property is actually handed over, and if the engagement is then broken without justification the law decides who keeps what. In practice most disputes we see are about a sin sod that was paid in cash with no record of it at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/marriage-in-thailand\/\">getting legally married in Thailand<\/a> covers sin sod, what is customary and what is legally enforceable, and how to document a payment so that it can be traced later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">After the wedding: name and immigration status<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marriage does not change a spouse&#8217;s surname automatically in Thailand. Taking a spouse&#8217;s name is a separate registration, and it then has to be carried through to the passport, the bank and the Land Office records, which is where people usually get stuck. Marriage also opens an immigration route, but a marriage certificate on its own is not a visa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voir <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/changing-name-in-thailand\/\">changing your name in Thailand<\/a> for the registration steps, and our guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thai-marriage-visa-non-o-2026-complete-guide-for-foreign-spouses\/\">marriage visa and Non-O extension for foreign spouses<\/a> for the immigration side, including the financial requirements and the annual renewal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Same-sex marriage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thailand legalised same-sex marriage through the Marriage Equality Act, and couples now register at the district office on the same footing as everyone else. The rights that follow are the same: marital property, inheritance, adoption and the ability to apply for a marriage-based extension of stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/same-sex-marriage-in-thailand\/\">Le mariage homosexuel en Tha\u00eflande<\/a> sets out what the Act changed, what it did not change, and the practical steps for a couple where one partner is foreign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">contrats pr\u00e9nuptiaux<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Thai prenuptial agreement has to be registered at the same time as the marriage itself, at the same district office, and signed in front of two witnesses. Sign it a day late and it is void. This single procedural rule is the reason most prenups brought from abroad fail in Thailand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read our guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/prenuptial-agreement-thailand\/\">contrat pr\u00e9nuptial en Tha\u00eflande<\/a> for the drafting and registration process. Before you sign anything, check <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/not-to-include-in-a-thai-prenuptial-agreement\/\">what must never go into a Thai prenuptial agreement<\/a>, because clauses on custody or on future income are routinely struck out. For how the courts have actually ruled, see our collection of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/supreme-court-prenuptial-agreements-thailand\/\">Supreme Court decisions on prenuptial agreements<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marital property: sin somros and sin suan tua<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Property owned before the marriage, plus anything inherited or received as a personal gift during it, is <em>p\u00e9ch\u00e9 suan tua<\/em> and stays with that spouse. Almost everything else acquired during the marriage, including income and the fruits of personal property, is <em>sans sommeil<\/em> and is split equally on divorce. Putting an asset in one spouse&#8217;s name does not move it out of the marital pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/separation-of-assets-for-a-divorce-in-thailand\/\">separation of assets in a Thai divorce<\/a> explains the classification rules, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/divorce-in-thailand-property-division\/\">property division on divorce in Thailand<\/a> works through how the split is actually carried out, including land and a condominium that a foreign spouse cannot hold outright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">divorce<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thailand has two routes. An administrative divorce by mutual consent is registered at the district office, is quick and inexpensive, and requires both spouses to attend and agree on custody and property. A contested divorce is filed at the family court and must be based on one of the statutory grounds in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thai-civil-code\/section-1516\/\">section 1516<\/a>, such as desertion, serious misconduct or living apart for the required period. There is no no-fault contested divorce in Thailand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Begin with the main guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/divorce-in-thailand\/\">divorce en Tha\u00eflande<\/a>, which covers both routes, the grounds and the timeline. If your spouse will not consent, read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/contested-divorce-in-thailand\/\">contested divorce in Thailand<\/a>. If you married outside Thailand, the recognition question is dealt with in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/divorce-in-thailand-with-a-foreign-marriage\/\">divorce in Thailand with a foreign marriage certificate<\/a>. For budgeting, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/divorce-cost-thailand\/\">what a divorce costs in Thailand<\/a>, and if you need proof of a completed divorce, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/divorce-certificate-thailand\/\">the Thai divorce certificate<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">garde d&#039;enfants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thai courts decide custody on the welfare of the child, and parental power can be held jointly or by one parent alone. The trap for unmarried foreign fathers is that they have no parental power at all until legitimation is complete, no matter what the birth certificate says. Custody agreed in a consent divorce is recorded at the district office and is enforceable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/child-custody-in-thailand\/\">garde d&#039;enfants en Tha\u00eflande<\/a> explains parental power, how the court weighs welfare, and what happens to custody after a divorce. If a child has been taken out of the country, read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/child-abduction-in-thailand\/\">Enl\u00e8vement d&#039;enfants en Tha\u00eflande<\/a> and act quickly, because delay weakens a Hague Convention application. For court representation, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/child-custody-lawyer-in-bangkok\/\">our child custody lawyers in Bangkok<\/a>. Travel with a child often needs written consent from the other parent, which is covered in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/travel-permit-children-thailand\/\">the travel permit for children<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legitimation of a father&#8217;s rights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A child born to unmarried parents is legally the mother&#8217;s child alone. The father acquires parental rights only by legitimation, which happens either by agreement with the mother and registration at the district office, or by a court order when she does not consent. Without it there is no right to custody, no say in schooling or travel, and no automatic inheritance link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">See our full guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/legalization-of-fathers-rights-in-thailand\/\">legitimation of a father&#8217;s rights in Thailand<\/a> for both routes and the evidence the court expects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Adoption<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Adoption in Thailand runs through the Department of Children and Youth, with a probation period before the adoption is finalised and registered. Adopting a Thai spouse&#8217;s child from a previous relationship is the most common case we see and is simpler than an intercountry adoption, which adds the Child Adoption Board and, where it applies, the Hague Convention machinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notre <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thailand-adoption-guide\/\">Thailand adoption guide<\/a> covers eligibility, consent, the step-by-step process, real costs and timelines, post-placement reports, and how adoption affects nationality and inheritance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GPA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Commercial surrogacy is prohibited in Thailand. A surrogate cannot be paid anything beyond medical and related expenses, so only altruistic surrogacy is lawful under the Protection of Children Born from Assisted Reproductive Technologies Act. The eligibility rules are narrow, including a marriage requirement, a Thai nationality link and a surrogate who must be a relative and already a mother, and they exclude most foreign intending parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read our analysis of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/surrogacy-in-thailand-comprehensive-analysis\/\">surrogacy law in Thailand<\/a> before committing to any arrangement or agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Domestic violence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Domestic violence is handled both as a criminal matter and through protective measures under the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act, and it is also a ground for divorce under section 1516. A protection order can be sought alongside the divorce rather than after it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/domestic-violence-in-thailand\/\">violence domestique en Tha\u00eflande<\/a> explains reporting, protection orders and how the family court treats the evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inheritance and family<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marriage and parentage decide who inherits. A surviving spouse is a statutory heir alongside the deceased&#8217;s children and, in some configurations, their parents and siblings. A Thai will is the only reliable way to control that outcome, and it also settles who administers the estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consultez notre <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thailand-inheritance-guide-for-foreigners\/\">inheritance law guide for foreigners<\/a> and, when you are ready to act, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/last-will-in-thailand\/\">R\u00e9diger un testament en Tha\u00eflande<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The statute itself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything above comes from Book 5 of the Civil and Commercial Code. You can read the annotated bilingual text, section by section, in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thai-civil-code\/book-5-family\/\">Civil and Commercial Code, Book 5: Family<\/a>. Marriage and marital property run from section 1435, divorce from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thai-civil-code\/section-1501\/\">section 1501<\/a>, and parentage, legitimation and adoption from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/thai-civil-code\/section-1536\/\">section 1536<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What it costs and how to start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every family matter starts with a one-hour consultation at 2,000 THB per hour, after which you get a written fee estimate before any work begins. Two of the most common matters are fixed price: a prenuptial agreement is 8,900 THB and a divorce by mutual consent is 9,900 THB. Contested divorce, custody and Hague Convention cases are quoted individually, because the work depends entirely on what the other side does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"tlo-storelink wp-block-paragraph\">The prenuptial agreement is one of the services you can order and pay for online. You then follow the drafting in your own client portal, uploading documents against a checklist and approving the draft before you sign. See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/legal-services\/\">all our fixed-fee services<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you would rather speak to someone first, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/family-lawyers-in-bangkok\/\">family lawyers in Bangkok<\/a> page explains how we work, or you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/book-consultation\/\">r\u00e9server une consultation<\/a> directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"tlo-trust-author\" aria-label=\"\u00c0 propos des auteurs\">\n                            <div class=\"tlo-trust-author__person\">\n                    <div class=\"tlo-trust-author__photo\">\n                        <span class=\"tlo-trust-author__initials\" aria-hidden=\"true\">SB<\/span>                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"tlo-trust-author__body\">\n                        <p class=\"tlo-trust-author__name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/our-team\/\">S\u00e9bastien H. Brousseau<\/a><\/p>\n                        <p class=\"tlo-trust-author__cred\">LL.B., B.Sc.<\/p>\n                        <p class=\"tlo-trust-author__bio\">Avocat canadien dirigeant des cabinets en Tha\u00eflande depuis 2006. Conseille les r\u00e9sidents et investisseurs \u00e9trangers en mati\u00e8re immobili\u00e8re, familiale, d'immigration, successorale et commerciale.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            \n            <p class=\"tlo-trust-author__meta\">\n                                                    <span>Derni\u00e8re mise \u00e0 jour : ao\u00fbt 9, 2026<\/span>\n                            <\/p>\n        <\/aside>\n<a class=\"tlo-trust-badge tlo-trust-badge--vortex\" href=\"\/fr\/supreme-court-decisions\/\"><span class=\"tlo-trust-badge__tick\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2713<\/span> V\u00e9rifi\u00e9 sur plus de 84,000 arr\u00eats de la Cour supr\u00eame, base Vortex<\/a>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"tlo-trust-tools\">\n                            <div class=\"tlo-trust-tool\">\n                    <p class=\"tlo-trust-tool__title\">\n                        Expat Legal Health Check                        <span class=\"tlo-trust-tool__tier tlo-trust-tool__tier--free\">\n                            Gratuit                        <\/span>\n                    <\/p>\n                    <p class=\"tlo-trust-tool__blurb\">Ten minutes on your property, family, visa and will. You get a written report naming the exact gaps and what each one costs to fix.<\/p>\n                                            <a class=\"tlo-trust-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/legal-health-check-for-expats\/\"\n                           data-tlo-event=\"tool_click\" data-tool=\"health-check\">\n                            Take the Legal Health Check                        <\/a>\n                                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Le mariage et le divorce sont deux aspects importants du droit familial tha\u00eflandais qui ont un impact consid\u00e9rable sur les personnes r\u00e9sidant dans le pays, y compris les expatri\u00e9s. La Tha\u00eflande, forte de son patrimoine culturel unique et de ses valeurs traditionnelles, a une vision \u00e9volutive de ces questions, cherchant \u00e0 concilier le maintien des traditions et l&#039;adaptation \u00e0 une soci\u00e9t\u00e9 en mutation.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1739","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1739"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4518,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1739\/revisions\/4518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/99"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}