ตรวจสอบโดย ThaiLawOnline สำนักงานกฎหมายไทยที่ได้รับใบอนุญาตและดำเนินกิจการในประเทศไทยตั้งแต่ปี พ.ศ. 2549 ทนายความผู้รับผิดชอบสำนวน: วิชุดา อรรถเมธากุล, น.ม., ใบอนุญาตเนติบัณฑิตไทย เลขที่ 3149/2556.
อัปเดตล่าสุดเมื่อ 5 กันยายน 2569
เอ สัญญาเงินกู้ (สัญญากู้ยืมเงิน, sanya ku yuem ngoen, also loan of money หรือ สินเชื่อเพื่อการบริโภค) is a contract under which a lender hands over a sum of money and the borrower undertakes to repay the same amount, usually with interest. Under Section 653 of the ประมวลกฎหมายแพ่งและพาณิชย์, a loan of more than 2,000 baht cannot be enforced in court unless there is written evidence signed by the borrower, and Section 654 caps interest at 15% a year. Foreigners are usually the lender, advancing money to a Thai partner or their own company.
สารบัญ
What Sections 653 and 654 require
มาตรา 653 has two limbs. First, a loan of money above 2,000 baht is only actionable if there is some writing signed by the borrower that evidences the loan: a formal contract, a signed acknowledgement of debt, even a signed note admitting the sum and the promise to repay. Second, repayment can only be proved by a writing signed by the lender, by the return of the loan document, or by a cancellation note written on it.
มาตรา 654 limits interest to 15% a year. The courts treat a higher rate as unlawful in its entirety, so the lender forfeits all contractual interest and recovers only the principal, with default interest from the date of demand. Since 2017 the Prohibition of Charging Excessive Interest Act has made lending above the cap a criminal offence; banks and finance companies are exempt under separate legislation. If no rate is agreed, the statutory rate of 3% a year applies, rising to 5% once the borrower is in default (Section 224).
Practical points for a foreign lender
Paper the loan properly. The document should state the parties with passport or ID numbers, the amount in figures and words, the date the money was handed over, the repayment schedule and the interest rate, and it must carry the borrower’s signature. Keep the bank transfer slip and use a bilingual text. อากรแสตมป์ is payable at 1 baht per 2,000 baht of principal, capped at 10,000 baht, and an unstamped agreement cannot be used as evidence until the duty and surcharge are paid.
Take security where the sum is large. A foreigner cannot own land but can be the mortgagee of it, so a loan can be secured by a จำนอง ลงทะเบียนที่ สำนักงานที่ดิน, by a personal guarantee under the suretyship rules, or by a pledge. Money given to a Thai spouse for a land purchase is different: the Land Office requires a declaration that the funds are the spouse’s separate property, so it cannot later be recast as a loan.
Enforcement, limitation and related instruments
A claim on a loan is brought in the civil court with a court fee of 2% of the claim. The limitation period is 10 years for the principal and 5 years for arrears of interest and instalments. Judgments are enforced through the Legal Execution Department.
| เครื่องดนตรี | Governing rules | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| สัญญาเงินกู้ | Sections 653 to 656 | Any loan, especially with security |
| ตั๋วสัญญาใช้เงิน | Sections 982 onwards | Short-term commercial credit, easy to sue on |
| Acknowledgement of debt | Section 653 evidence | Confirming an earlier informal loan |
เอ ตั๋วสัญญาใช้เงิน is often used alongside a loan agreement because it is a bill of exchange with its own rules. A gift, by contrast, is complete on delivery and cannot be reclaimed except for ingratitude.
คำถามที่พบบ่อย
Can a foreigner lend money to a Thai person legally?
Yes. There is no nationality restriction on lending, and a foreigner may sue in the Thai courts to recover the loan. The lender must observe Section 653 (written evidence signed by the borrower for loans over 2,000 baht) and Section 654 (interest no higher than 15% a year), and should keep proof of the transfer.
What happens if a Thai loan charges more than 15% interest?
The interest clause is treated as unlawful and the lender loses the right to any contractual interest, recovering only the principal plus default interest from the date of demand. Charging above the cap can also be prosecuted under the Prohibition of Charging Excessive Interest Act B.E. 2560. Licensed banks and finance companies are exempt from the 15% cap.
Is a verbal loan enforceable in Thailand?
Only up to 2,000 baht. Above that amount Section 653 requires some writing signed by the borrower, without which the court will dismiss the claim regardless of witnesses or bank transfers. A signed acknowledgement obtained later, even a signed chat message admitting the debt, can satisfy the rule.
ดูเพิ่มเติม: ตั๋วสัญญาใช้เงิน, จำนอง, suretyship and guarantee, prescription (limitation periods), and our guides to the loan agreement in Thailand และ free bilingual loan agreement template.
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