Power of Attorneys for Thailand

Reviewed by Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556, for ThaiLawOnline, a Thai law firm acting for foreigners since 2006.

Power of Attorney forms in Thailand: which one you need · หนังสือมอบอำนาจ

A power of attorney is a legal document. It allows one person (the agent) to act for another (the principal) in specific matters. This authority can be broad, giving the agent general powers. It can also be limited to specific tasks. The following text is about “Power of Attorneys for Thailand“. We are proud to provide you a lot of free templates and samples before for power of attorneys in Thailand. It is our own way to help people by providing accurate information and spreading it.

Many people ask for powers of attorney to plan for possible incapacity. A "durable power of attorney" allows someone to pick another person. This person can manage their finances, legal matters, or health choices. This is helpful if they cannot do it themselves because of mental or physical problems. This document stays valid until the person dies, unless they cancel it. It must be done correctly according to local laws. This often requires a signature in front of a notary or witnesses. But this kind of power of attorney isn’t available in Thailand (more on that below).

The Power of Attorneys in Thailand is mainly governed by the Thai Civil and Commercial Code. Agency is Title XV of Book III, Sections 797 to 832. Section 797 defines agency, Section 798 says that where a transaction must by law be in writing the appointment of an agent for it must be in writing too, Section 801 limits what a general agent may do, and Sections 826, 827 and 832 govern how an agency ends, how it is revoked, and the return of the written authority.

The requirements for a power of attorney can vary from one office to another. For example, the Land Department has its own form for selling property, which differs from the form needed to open a bank account. Even within the Land Department, the power of attorney for condominiums differs from that for title deeds (chanote). It is important to check the specific requirements. You should contact the right office or authority. This is necessary when making a power of attorney.

The law behind this page

English

Section 797

Agency is a contract by which one person (the agent) has authority to act on behalf of another (the principal) and agrees to do so. Agency may be express or implied.

Full text

Agency is a contract whereby a person, called the agent, has authority to act for another person, called the principal, and agrees so to act. Agency may be express or implied.

ThaiLawOnline translation

Our annotated sectionOfficial text

Section 798

Power of attorney, form.

Full text

If a transaction is by law required to be made in writing, the appointment of an agent for such transaction must also be made in writing. If the transaction is required to be evidenced by writing, the appointment of an agent for such transaction must also be evidenced by writing.

ThaiLawOnline translation

Our annotated sectionOfficial text

Section 801

Full text

The agent who has a general authority may do all acts of management on behalf of his principal. But he cannot do such acts as: (1) Selling or mortgaging immovable property. (2) Letting immovable property for more than three years. (3) Making a gift. (4) Making a compromise. (5) Entering an action in Court. (6) Submitting a dispute to arbitration.

ThaiLawOnline translation

Our annotated sectionOfficial text

Section 800

Full text

The agent who has a special authority may do on behalf of his principal only what is necessary for the due execution of the matters entrusted to him.

ThaiLawOnline translation

Our annotated sectionOfficial text

Section 826

Full text

Agency is extinguished by the principal revoking or by the agent renouncing the agency. It is also extinguished when either party dies or becomes incapacitated or bankrupt, unless the contrary appears from the terms of the agreement or the nature of the business.

ThaiLawOnline translation

Our annotated sectionOfficial text

Section 827

Full text

The principal may revoke the authority and the agent may renounce the agency at any time. Except in case of unavoidable necessity, the party who revokes or renounces the agency at a time which is inconvenient to the other party is liable to such party for any injury resulting therefrom.

ThaiLawOnline translation

Our annotated sectionOfficial text

ไทย

มาตรา 797

ข้อความเต็ม

อันว่าสัญญาตัวแทนนั้น คือสัญญาซึ่งให้บุคคลคนหนึ่ง เรียกว่าตัวแทน มีอำนาจทำการแทนบุคคลอีกคนหนึ่ง เรียกว่าตัวการ และตกลงจะทำการดังนั้น อันความเป็นตัวแทนนั้นจะเป็นโดยตั้งแต่งแสดงออกชัดหรือโดยปริยายก็ย่อมได้

ข้อความจากฐานข้อมูลประมวลกฎหมายของเรา โปรดตรวจสอบกับข้อความทางการ (Thai text from our annotated code. Check it against the official text.)

มาตราพร้อมหมายเหตุของเราข้อความทางการ

มาตรา 798

ข้อความเต็ม

กิจการอันใดท่านบังคับไว้โดยกฎหมายว่าต้องทำเป็นหนังสือ การตั้งตัวแทนเพื่อกิจการอันนั้นก็ต้องทำเป็นหนังสือด้วย กิจการอันใดท่านบังคับไว้ว่าต้องมีหลักฐานเป็นหนังสือ การตั้งตัวแทนเพื่อกิจการอันนั้นก็ต้องมีหลักฐานเป็นหนังสือด้วย

ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)

มาตราพร้อมหมายเหตุของเราข้อความทางการ

มาตรา 801

ข้อความเต็ม

ถ้าตัวแทนได้รับมอบอำนาจทั่วไป ท่านว่าจะทำกิจใด ๆ ในทางจัดการแทนตัวการก็ย่อมทำได้ทุกอย่างแต่การเช่นอย่างจะกล่าวต่อไปนี้ ท่านว่าหาอาจจะทำได้ไม่ คือ(๑) ขายหรือจำนองอสังหาริมทรัพย์(๒) ให้เช่าอสังหาริมทรัพย์กว่าสามปีขึ้นไป(๓) ให้(๔) ประนีประนอมยอมความ(๕) ยื่นฟ้องต่อศาล(๖) มอบข้อพิพาทให้อนุญาโตตุลาการพิจารณา

ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)

มาตราพร้อมหมายเหตุของเราข้อความทางการ

มาตรา 800

ข้อความเต็ม

ถ้าตัวแทนได้รับมอบอำนาจแต่เฉพาะการ ท่านว่าจะทำการแทนตัวการได้แต่เพียงในสิ่งที่จำเป็นเพื่อให้กิจอันเขาได้มอบหมายแก่ตนนั้นสำเร็จลุล่วงไป

ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)

มาตราพร้อมหมายเหตุของเราข้อความทางการ

มาตรา 826

ข้อความเต็ม

อันสัญญาตัวแทนย่อมระงับสิ้นไปด้วยตัวการถอนตัวแทน หรือด้วยตัวแทนบอกเลิกเป็นตัวแทนอนึ่ง สัญญาตัวแทนย่อมระงับสิ้นไป เมื่อคู่สัญญาฝ่ายใดฝ่ายหนึ่งตาย หรือตกเป็นผู้ไร้ความสามารถ หรือล้มละลาย เว้นแต่จะปรากฏว่าขัดกับข้อสัญญาหรือสภาพแห่งกิจการนั้น

ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)

มาตราพร้อมหมายเหตุของเราข้อความทางการ

มาตรา 827

ข้อความเต็ม

ตัวการจะถอนตัวแทน และตัวแทนจะบอกเลิกเป็นตัวแทนเสียในเวลาใด ๆ ก็ได้ทุกเมื่อคู่สัญญาฝ่ายซึ่งถอนตัวแทนหรือบอกเลิกเป็นตัวแทนในเวลาที่ไม่สะดวกแก่อีกฝ่ายหนึ่ง จะต้องรับผิดต่อคู่สัญญาฝ่ายนั้นในความเสียหายอย่างใด ๆ อันเกิดแต่การนั้น เว้นแต่ในกรณีที่เป็นความจำเป็นอันมิอาจจะก้าวล่วงเสียได้

ตรงตามข้อความในราชกิจจานุเบกษา / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา (Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State)

มาตราพร้อมหมายเหตุของเราข้อความทางการ

Français

Article 797

Le mandat est le contrat donnant à une personne, le mandataire, le pouvoir d'agir pour une autre, le mandant, et par lequel elle accepte d'agir ainsi. Il peut être exprès ou tacite.

résumé non officiel

Notre article annotéTexte officiel

Article 798

Si la loi exige un écrit pour un acte, le mandat pour cet acte doit être écrit; si elle exige une preuve écrite, le mandat doit aussi être prouvé par écrit.

résumé non officiel

Notre article annotéTexte officiel

Article 801

Le mandataire général peut accomplir tout acte de gestion, mais non vendre ou hypothéquer un immeuble, le louer pour plus de trois ans, donner, transiger, agir en justice ou recourir à l'arbitrage.

résumé non officiel

Notre article annotéTexte officiel

Article 800

Le mandataire spécial ne peut agir que pour ce qui est nécessaire à l'accomplissement de la mission confiée.

résumé non officiel

Notre article annotéTexte officiel

Article 826

Le mandat prend fin par révocation ou renonciation, ainsi que par le décès, l'incapacité ou la faillite d'une partie, sauf si cela contredit le contrat ou la nature de l'affaire.

résumé non officiel

Notre article annotéTexte officiel

Article 827

Le mandant peut révoquer et le mandataire renoncer à tout moment. Celui qui le fait à un moment inopportun répond du dommage causé, sauf nécessité inévitable.

résumé non officiel

Notre article annotéTexte officiel

Supreme Court decisions

• 1523/2565 (2022): Unmarried Partner Takes Half by Co-ownership, and the Loan Was a Sham

Sources

• Civil and Commercial Code, Office of the Council of State, retrieved 31 October 2026
• deka.supremecourt.or.th, Supreme Court of Thailand decisions database (copy held in our library), retrieved 19 February 2026

1. Going to Court in case of incapacity

If you are unable to make decisions, your spouse or a family member can ask the court to declare you incompetent and appoint a guardian to manage your affairs. No power of attorney is needed for this; it is the procedure in Section 28 of the Civil and Commercial Code:

Section 28. A person of unsound mind may be adjudged incompetent by the Court on
the application of any spouse, ascendants, descendants, guardian or curator, a person
taking care of the person or the Public Prosecutor.
The person adjudged incompetent under paragraph one must be placed under
guardianship. The appointment of guardian, power and duties of guardian, and
termination of guardianship shall be in accordance with provisions of Book V of this Code.
The order of the Court under this Section shall be published in the Government Gazette.

2. Other tools can be done before someone becomes incapable:

1. Power of Attorney (POA): You can give a POA to a trusted person, like your Thai spouse. This allows them to act for you in specific matters. However, different POAs are needed for different entities and transactions. For example, the Land Department has separate forms for various land titles, like Chanote and Nor Sor Sam. A general POA might not suffice for specific transactions. See below the numerous different forms in Thailand.
2. Joint Bank Accounts: A joint account that either holder can operate alone (an “or” account) lets your spouse keep using the funds without a power of attorney. An account that needs both signatures (an “and” account) does not, and banks set their own rules on what happens when one holder loses capacity.
3. Living Will: Section 12 of the National Health Act B.E. 2550 (2007) lets you state in writing that you do not want treatment that only prolongs dying at the end of life, or that serves only to end the suffering of illness (the Act’s wording). It is narrower than a general health-care directive and gives no one power over your money.
4. Last Will and Testament: A Last Will and Testament is important. However, it cannot help if you are unable to make decisions. This document tells how your assets should be shared after you pass away.

3. Here are some of the common types of power of attorneys for Thailand:

• General power of attorney: This gives the agent authority to do all acts of management for the principal. It is not authority to do everything. Under Section 801 a general agent may not sell or mortgage immovable property, let immovable property for more than three years, make a gift, make a compromise, enter an action in court, or submit a dispute to arbitration. Each of those needs express special authority, which is why the Land Department and the courts require their own forms. A general power of attorney signed in the United States is usually notarised there and then legalised before a Thai authority will accept it.
• Special power of attorney: This allows the agent to act in specific matters. These can include selling property or opening a bank account.
• Durable power of attorney: In the United States and the United Kingdom this is a distinct instrument that survives the principal losing capacity. Thai law has no equivalent instrument. Under Section 826 an agency ends when the principal revokes it or the agent renounces it, and when either party dies, becomes bankrupt or is adjudged incompetent by the court, unless that is contrary to the terms of the agreement or the nature of the business. Losing capacity in fact does not end it; the court order does. But a new power of attorney from a person who has already lost capacity is not safe: an act done by a person of unsound mind who has not been adjudged incompetent is voidable if it was done while of unsound mind and the other party knew it (Section 30), so the dependable route at that point is the court application under Section 28 described above.
• Limited Power of Attorney: This allows the agent to act in a few specific matters. For example, they can withdraw money from a bank account. This is an example of a Limited Power of Attorney from USA.

When drafting a power of attorney, it is important to be clear about the powers that are being granted to the agent. The power of attorney should also be specific about the duration of the power. It is also advisable to have the power of attorney notarized so that the person relying on it can confirm who signed. In Thailand, lawyers must ask their client to sign a special POA called “lawyer’s appointment”. That is necessary for any case going to Court.

4. Here are some of the things to keep in mind when drafting หนังสือมอบอำนาจ (Power of Attorneys for Thailand)

• The power of attorney should be in writing and signed by the principal. Under Section 798, where the transaction itself must by law be made in writing, the appointment of an agent for that transaction must also be made in writing; where the transaction need only be evidenced in writing, the appointment must also be evidenced in writing. Agency itself may under Section 797 be express or implied.
• The Land Department’s own forms say a power of attorney made abroad should be certified by a Thai embassy or consulate, or by a notary public.
• Thai offices normally expect the power of attorney in Thai or with a Thai translation.

If you want to create a power of attorney in Thailand, it is best to talk to a lawyer. This will help make sure the power of attorney is valid and can be enforced.

5. Different POA that you can download for free and samples of Power of Attorneys for Thailand.

Here are some different kinds of POA that we are providing you for free. This is for your information only. We are not responsible if these forms were changed but we try to keep our website as accurate as possible:

• Power of Attorney called TD21 , This applies to Nor Sor 3 Kor and Chanote at the Land Department. It has only one page. The two pages are the front and back. You must also have signed copies of identification documents. In addition, if this power of attorney is signed abroad, the form’s own warning says it should be certified by a Thai embassy or consulate, or by a notary public. See the Thai version for more details on the last point.
• General Power of Attorneys for Thailand in English and Thai. Be careful. The Department of Business Development (DBD) has its own forms. The Labour Department also has its own forms. The Land Department has its own forms too. Other departments may have their own forms as well. However, this one often works in many places.
• Power of Attorneys for Thailand, This is a form for the labor department. It is used for work permit purposes
• Power of attorneys for Thailand, for a child to travel abroad. It is also called a “travel permit”.
• Power of attorneys for Thailand, condos, from land department called Or Chor 21 (อ.ช.21). Like the TD21, when it is signed abroad the form says it should be certified by a Thai embassy or consulate, or by a notary public.

6. And more Power of Attorneys for Thailand

• A “Lawyer’s appointment” is a special power of attorney for a Thai lawyer to represent you. It is only in Thai, must be signed by the client and it is mandatory (no choice). The client must sign his IDs in blue. This includes a passport for foreigners or a Thai ID and Ta bian baan for Thai nationals. We go through it with you in English before you sign.
• POA for the administrative Court, drafted for the specific case rather than published as a blank form
• General Power of Attorneys for Thailand (normally used by banks), English and Thai
• Power of Attorney for Thailand, the DBD (department of Business Development, Responsible of companies)
• Power of Attorney for Courts, different from the lawyer’s appointment above and drafted for the specific case
• Power of Attorney for the Transportation Department

Our fee for a Power of Attorney

These fees come from one source and are the same everywhere on this site. See all our fees.

Frequently asked questions

Try it yourself first, free

You do not have to book anything to get started. These run in your browser, and you only pay us if you decide you want a lawyer involved.

A condominium transfer uses its own prescribed form rather than a general power of attorney. That form is the Or Chor 21.

Last reviewed: 5 September 2026. The agency provisions of the Civil and Commercial Code were read in Thai and in English for this review: Sections 797, 798, 801, 806, 808, 826, 827 and 832, together with Section 28 on adjudication of incompetence, whose wording quoted above was compared with our annotated Code and matches it. Five statements were corrected. The page sourced agency to a range beginning at Section 796, which is a provision about warehouse receipts and warrants; agency is Sections 797 to 832. It described a general power of attorney as covering all matters, where Section 801 provides that a general agent may not sell or mortgage immovable property, let it for more than three years, make a gift, make a compromise, enter an action in court, or submit a dispute to arbitration. Its account of a durable power of attorney contradicted itself and did not cite Section 826, which is the provision that ends an agency on death, incapacity or bankruptcy. The drafting checklist stated a blanket writing requirement rather than the rule in Section 798. And a Thai heading was missing two vowels. What this review does not cover, said rather than implied. The names and numbers of the official forms (Tor.Dor.21, Or.Chor.21, the labour, DBD, court and transport department forms), the notarisation and legalisation steps, and the requirement for a Thai translation are office practice, and no statute fixes them; they were not verified here. Neither the membership pricing nor the downloadable templates were reviewed. A passage about the condominium form was added to this page by another editor while this review was in progress and is not covered by it. Re-read on 4 October 2026: Section 826 now gives the ending events as the Thai text has them (revocation, renunciation, death, bankruptcy, being adjudged incompetent), with Section 30 on acts of an unadjudged person of unsound mind; the Section 28 summary, the joint-account and living-will lines (National Health Act section 12) were corrected.