Update log
- 4 November 2026: Added the statute box with Thai, English and French text and checked the page against the official text
Thai Legal Research Service, reports in 24 to 48 hours
AI-powered research from our 141,000+ document Vortex database, double-checked by our lawyers. Any Thai-law topic, law + Supreme Court decisions, in any language, from ฿4,900. We can also prepare petitions and appeals.
Learn more → · ดูรายละเอียดThaiLawOnline is dedicated to providing professional legal services at reasonable prices. We act for foreign and Thai clients across Thailand, individuals, families, investors, and small-to-medium businesses, in civil, family, property, business, immigration, and estate-planning matters. Working with Thai lawyers since 2006, we combine more than 50 years of combined experience with modern technology to deliver faster, clearer, and more affordable results than most Bangkok firms of the same calibre. The full list of our legal services in Bangkok, with fixed fees, is on one page.
Table of Contents
Our Practice Areas
Civil Litigation
We represent clients before the Civil Courts of Thailand in contract disputes, torts, debt collection, consumer claims, employment disputes, and appeals. Our litigators draft pleadings, negotiate settlements, and appear in all court instances from the Courts of First Instance up to the Supreme Court (Dika).
Property & Real Estate Law
Buying or selling property in Thailand is not the same as in your home country. We handle title-deed due diligence at the Land Office, sale and purchase agreements, condominium transfers, long-term leases, usufructs, superficies, and the incorporation of Thai companies that can lawfully hold land. We also assist landlords and tenants with rental disputes and eviction matters.
Family Law
Family matters are personal, and we treat them that way. We advise on marriage registration in Thailand (for Thais and foreigners), prenuptial agreements, divorce (contested and uncontested), child custody, adoption, child support, and paternity. For international families we coordinate recognition of Thai decisions abroad, and the legalisation or apostille of foreign judgments in the country that issued them.
Business, company and contract services
We assist with Thai company registration, Foreign Business Act compliance, shareholder arrangements, joint ventures, employment matters, share transfers and corporate restructuring.
For contract work, choose the scope that matches what you need:
Online consultation: 2,000 THB per hour. Suitable when you have a short agreement or specific questions before signing. Send the complete draft and your questions in advance. Appointments are usually scheduled within 24 to 48 hours after payment confirmation.
Comprehensive contract review: 9,000 THB. We review an existing agreement clause by clause, identify risks and unclear or one-sided provisions, and provide a written opinion with suggested amendments. Normal delivery is three to five business days after payment and receipt of the complete document and background.
Custom contract drafting: 20,000 THB. We prepare a new agreement based on the parties, purpose, commercial terms and special clauses. The first draft is normally ready within five to ten business days after payment and complete instructions.
Send all schedules, annexes and related documents. Tell us whether the agreement has already been signed, who prepared it, the approximate transaction value, your deadline and the issues that concern you. We confirm the final scope before payment if the document is unusually long or complex.
Compare our published legal fees or book a consultation.
Estate Planning & Last Wills
A Thai last will protects your family and property in Thailand and streamlines the succession process. We draft bilingual (Thai/English or Thai/French) wills that are valid under Thai law, advise on cross-border estate issues, and represent heirs and estate administrators in court, where an application to appoint an estate administrator is filed in the civil court for the deceased’s last domicile (Civil Procedure Code, section 4 quater).
The law behind this page
English
Section 4 quater
A petition to appoint an administrator of a deceased person's estate must be filed in the court where the deceased was domiciled when they died. If the deceased had no home in Thailand, it is filed where the estate property is located.
Full text
A petition for the appointment of an estate administrator shall be submitted to the court within whose territorial jurisdiction the deceased had domicile at the time of death. Where the deceased had no domicile in the Kingdom, it shall be submitted to the court within whose territorial jurisdiction the estate property is located.
ThaiLawOnline translation
Section 1713
An heir, an interested person or the public prosecutor may apply to the court to appoint an administrator where a statutory heir or legatee has disappeared, is outside the Kingdom or is a minor; where the administrator or an heir is unable or unwilling to act, or there is an impediment to administering or distributing the estate; or where the clause of the will appointing an administrator cannot take effect.
Full text
An heir, an interested person, or the public prosecutor may apply to the court for the appointment of an administrator of the estate in the following cases: (1) where, on the death of the deceased, a statutory heir or a beneficiary under the will has disappeared, is outside the Kingdom, or is a minor; (2) where the administrator of the estate or an heir is unable or unwilling to administer the estate, or where there is an impediment to its administration or distribution; (3) where a provision of the will appointing an administrator of the estate is for any reason unenforceable. As to the appointment, if the will contains a provision on the point the court appoints in accordance with it; if it does not, the court appoints such person as it thinks fit for the benefit of the estate in the circumstances, having regard to the intention of the deceased.
ThaiLawOnline translation
ไทย
มาตรา 4 จัตวา
ข้อความเต็ม
คำร้องขอแต่งตั้งผู้จัดการมรดก ให้เสนอต่อศาลที่เจ้ามรดกมีภูมิลำเนาอยู่ในเขตศาลในขณะถึงแก่ความตายในกรณีที่เจ้ามรดกไม่มีภูมิลำเนาอยู่ในราชอาณาจักร ให้เสนอต่อศาลที่ทรัพย์มรดกอยู่ในเขตศาล
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
มาตรา 1713
ข้อความเต็ม
ทายาทหรือผู้มีส่วนได้เสียหรือพนักงานอัยการจะร้องต่อศาลขอให้ตั้งผู้จัดการมรดกก็ได้ ในกรณีดังต่อไปนี้ (๑) เมื่อเจ้ามรดกตาย ทายาทโดยธรรมหรือผู้รับพินัยกรรมได้สูญหายไป หรืออยู่นอกราชอาณาเขต หรือเป็นผู้เยาว์ (๒) เมื่อผู้จัดการมรดกหรือทายาทไม่สามารถ หรือไม่เต็มใจที่จะจัดการ หรือมีเหตุขัดข้องในการจัดการ หรือในการแบ่งปันมรดก (๓) เมื่อข้อกำหนดพินัยกรรมซึ่งตั้งผู้จัดการมรดกไว้ไม่มีผลบังคับได้ด้วยประการใด ๆ การตั้งผู้จัดการมรดกนั้น ถ้ามีข้อกำหนดพินัยกรรมก็ให้ศาลตั้งตามข้อกำหนดพินัยกรรม และถ้าไม่มีข้อกำหนดพินัยกรรม ก็ให้ศาลตั้งเพื่อประโยชน์แก่กองมรดกตามพฤติการณ์ และโดยคำนึงถึงเจตนาของเจ้ามรดก แล้วแต่ศาลจะเห็นสมควร
ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)
Français
Article 4 quater
La requête en nomination d'un administrateur de succession est présentée au tribunal dans le ressort duquel le défunt avait son domicile au moment de son décès. Si le défunt n'avait pas de domicile dans le Royaume, elle est présentée au tribunal dans le ressort duquel se trouvent les biens successoraux.
résumé non officiel
Article 1713
Un héritier, une personne intéressée ou le ministère public peut demander au tribunal la nomination d'un administrateur de la succession dans les cas suivants : (1) lorsque, au décès du de cujus, un héritier légal ou un légataire a disparu, se trouve hors du Royaume ou est mineur ; (2) lorsque l'administrateur de la succession ou un héritier ne peut pas ou ne veut pas administrer, ou qu'un empêchement fait obstacle à l'administration ou au partage de la succession ; (3) lorsque la disposition testamentaire désignant un administrateur de la succession est, pour quelque cause que ce soit, dépourvue d'effet. Pour la nomination de l'administrateur de la succession, s'il existe une disposition testamentaire, le tribunal nomme conformément à celle-ci ; à défaut, le tribunal nomme, dans l'intérêt de la succession, selon les circonstances et en tenant compte de l'intention du de cujus, comme il le juge approprié.
résumé non officiel
Sources
- Civil Procedure Code, Office of the Council of State, retrieved 31 October 2026
- Civil and Commercial Code, Office of the Council of State, retrieved 31 October 2026
Immigration & Visas
Thai immigration law changes frequently. We help with retirement visas (O-A, O-X), marriage visas (O), work permits and business visas (B), LTR and Thailand Privilege (formerly Elite) visas, permanent residency applications, and re-entry or visa extensions. We also defend clients facing overstay, deportation, and TM30/TM47 issues.
Criminal Defence
If you or a family member has been arrested, detained, or summoned by a Thai police station, the first hours matter. We provide bail applications, legal representation during police investigations, advice on Criminal Code offences, and full defence before the Criminal Court.
Notary Services & Document Certification
Our Notarial Services Attorneys can certify signatures, affidavits, powers of attorney, copies of documents, and oaths, recognised by embassies and foreign courts. We also coordinate Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation for documents used abroad. Thailand joined the Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026; Thai apostilles will be available only from 28 February 2027, for use in other Convention states.
Translation & Legalisation
Certified legal translation between Thai, English, and French for court filings, contracts, certificates, and government applications. We manage the full legalisation chain from translator to Ministry of Foreign Affairs to embassy.
Why Choose ThaiLawOnline
- More than 50 years of combined experience in Thai and international law.
- More than 1,000 endorsements on LinkedIn for Sebastien H. Brousseau, LL.B., B.Sc., editor of ThaiLawOnline, working in Thai law since 2006.
- Reasonable, transparent fees, most Bangkok law firms of our calibre charge two to three times as much.
- Multilingual team serving clients in English, French and Thai.
- Technology-forward practice using AI-assisted research, secure client portals and modern case management.
- Strong network across all regions of Thailand, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, and Isaan.
How We Work With You
- Initial contact. Send us a short message describing your situation. We reply, personally, usually the same business day.
- Consultation. We schedule a call or meeting (in person in Bangkok or online) to understand your goals and answer your first questions.
- Transparent quote. Where possible we give you a flat fee; otherwise an hourly rate and a budget estimate before any work begins.
- Engagement and delivery. We handle filings, negotiations, drafting, and court appearances, and keep you updated at every stage.
Frequently asked questions
Where is an application to appoint an estate administrator filed?
In the court for the deceased’s last domicile, under section 4 quater of the Civil Procedure Code. We represent heirs and estate administrators in that court.
Do you draft wills in more than one language?
Yes. We draft bilingual wills in Thai and English or Thai and French, valid under Thai law, and advise on cross-border estate issues.
Can your notaries certify documents for use abroad?
Our Notarial Services Attorneys certify signatures, affidavits, powers of attorney, copies and oaths, and we coordinate Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation for documents used abroad.
How do fees work?
Where possible we quote a flat fee; otherwise an hourly rate and a budget estimate before any work begins.
Contact Us Now
Tell us briefly about your matter and we will come back to you with clear next steps and an honest view of your options.
A breakdown of the same work by area of law is on our practice areas page.