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 September 5, 2026
Or Chor 21 (อ.ช.21, also written Or.Chor.21, Aor Chor 21 or O.Ch.21) is the official power of attorney form of the Department of Lands for transactions involving a condominium unit: sale, purchase, mortgage, lease registration, usufruct or any other entry on the unit’s title. It is the condominium counterpart of Tor Dor 21, which is used for land and houses. A Land Office will register a condominium transaction through a representative only on this Thai-script form, so a foreign owner who cannot attend the transfer in person must sign an Or Chor 21, not a lawyer-drafted or general power of attorney.
Table of Contents
What the form is and when it is required
Under the Condominium Act every transfer or encumbrance of a unit is registered at the Land Office that holds the condominium register, in the presence of both parties. A party who cannot attend appoints an attorney, and the Land Department prescribes its own form for that appointment so that the officer can check, on one page, who is authorising what. The Or Chor 21 identifies the grantor, the attorney, the condominium name and registration number, the unit number, and the precise act authorised, for example “to sell unit 12/45 in Building A to Mr X for 4,500,000 baht and to receive payment”.
A general power of attorney is refused. The rule is a practical one: the Land Office needs a document that mirrors its own registration and that it can file. Even a notarised power of attorney drawn up abroad in English is normally rejected unless it is attached to a completed Or Chor 21. The same applies to the seller’s and the buyer’s side.
How a foreigner completes and signs it
The person giving the power, usually the foreign owner or buyer, signs on the line marked ผู้มอบอำนาจ (grantor) and prints their name in the brackets beneath. Two witnesses sign on the พยาน (witness) lines. The person receiving the power, the ผู้รับมอบอำนาจ, does not sign the form; they simply attend the Land Office with the original, their own ID card and the grantor’s signed passport copy. Nothing may be crossed out or corrected on the form; a fresh one is used instead. Stamp duty of 10 baht applies for a single act, or 30 baht where more than one act is authorised, and the Land Office affixes and cancels it on the day.
Signing outside Thailand needs one of two routes: signing before the Thai embassy or consulate, which certifies the signature directly, or signing before a local notary followed by legalisation of the notary’s signature for use in Thailand. The power of attorney guide explains both. The attorney should also carry the documents the transaction itself requires, such as the FET form and the juristic person’s debt-free and foreign quota letters for a purchase by a foreigner.
Comparison with Tor Dor 21 and the attorney’s limits
| Form | Used for | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Or Chor 21 (อ.ช.21) | Condominium units: sale, mortgage, lease, usufruct, inheritance transfer | Department of Lands |
| Tor Dor 21 (ท.ด.21) | Land and houses on a chanote or Nor Sor 3 Gor | Department of Lands |
| General power of attorney | Banks, immigration, utilities, company matters; not accepted for registration | Any drafter |
The attorney acts within the words of the form. An Or Chor 21 authorising a sale does not allow the attorney to accept a lower price, grant a mortgage or collect the money into their own account unless those powers are written in. Under Section 805 of the Civil and Commercial Code an agent may not contract with themselves on the principal’s behalf without consent, so a buyer’s attorney cannot also be the seller unless the form says so expressly. Because the form gives real power over a valuable asset, the grantor should name a trusted person, limit the act, state the price, and give the form a short life by dating it close to the appointment. The common mistake is to sign the form blank for a broker to complete later.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner buy or sell a condo in Thailand without being present?
Yes, by signing an Or Chor 21 power of attorney appointing someone to attend the Land Office. The form must be the Land Department’s own, signed by the grantor in front of two witnesses, with signed passport copies attached. If it is signed abroad, the signature is certified by the Thai embassy or notarised and legalised.
Who signs the Or Chor 21 form?
The grantor signs on the ผู้มอบอำนาจ line and writes their name in the brackets below it. Two witnesses sign on the พยาน lines. The attorney receiving the power does not sign the form and only presents it, with their ID, at the Land Office.
What is the difference between Or Chor 21 and Tor Dor 21?
Both are Land Department powers of attorney with the same layout. Or Chor 21 is for condominium units registered under the Condominium Act; Tor Dor 21 is for land and houses on a land title deed. Using the wrong one means the registration is refused on the day.
See also: Tor Dor 21, power of attorney, FET form, foreign quota, buying a condominium in Thailand and power of attorneys for Thailand.
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