{"id":1786,"date":"2026-04-18T17:01:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T10:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/glossary\/aor-bor-tor\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T19:34:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:34:53","slug":"aor-bor-tor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/aor-bor-tor\/","title":{"rendered":"Aor Bor Tor (\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e15.): Tambon Administrative Organisation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u0e2d\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c \u0e1a\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c \u0e17\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c<\/strong> (\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e15., also written <em>\u0e2b\u0e23\u0e37\u0e2d \u0e1a\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c \u0e17\u0e2d\u0e23\u0e4c<\/em>, <em>OBT<\/em>, <em>TAO<\/em> \u0e2b\u0e23\u0e37\u0e2d <em>SAO<\/em>) is the Thai abbreviation of <strong>Ongkan Borihan Suan Tambon<\/strong> (\u0e2d\u0e07\u0e04\u0e4c\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e23\u0e34\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e23\u0e2a\u0e48\u0e27\u0e19\u0e15\u0e33\u0e1a\u0e25), the <strong>Tambon (Sub-district) Administrative Organisation<\/strong>. It is the elected local government of a rural <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/tambon\/\">\u0e41\u0e17\u0e21\u0e1a\u0e2d\u0e19<\/a>, created by the Tambon Council and Tambon Administrative Organisation Act B.E. 2537 (1994). More than 5,000 exist, covering most of rural Thailand; in urban areas the same role is played by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/tesaban\/\">\u0e40\u0e17\u0e28\u0e1a\u0e32\u0e25<\/a> (municipality).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>\u0e2a\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e31\u0e0d<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#how-the-aor-bor-tor-is-organised\">How the Aor Bor Tor is organised<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-the-aor-bor-tor-does\">What the Aor Bor Tor does<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#why-a-foreign-buyer-should-visit-the-aor-bor-tor\">Why a foreign buyer should visit the Aor Bor Tor<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\">\u0e04\u0e33\u0e16\u0e32\u0e21\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e1e\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-the-aor-bor-tor-is-organised\">How the Aor Bor Tor is organised<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Aor Bor Tor is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/juristic-person\/\">\u0e19\u0e34\u0e15\u0e34\u0e1a\u0e38\u0e04\u0e04\u0e25<\/a> with its own budget, staff and by-laws. It is led by the <strong>nayok Or Bor Tor<\/strong> (\u0e19\u0e32\u0e22\u0e01 \u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e15.), a chief executive directly elected by the residents of the tambon since 2003, and a council whose members are elected from the villages of the tambon, all for four-year terms.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a separate structure from the <strong>kamnan<\/strong> \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/poo-yai-baan\/\">phu yai ban<\/a> (village headmen), who belong to the state administration under the Provincial Administration Act B.E. 2457 (1914) and answer to the district chief. Nor should it be confused with the <strong>Or Bor Jor<\/strong> (\u0e2d\u0e07\u0e04\u0e4c\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e23\u0e34\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e23\u0e2a\u0e48\u0e27\u0e19\u0e08\u0e31\u0e07\u0e2b\u0e27\u0e31\u0e14), the Provincial Administrative Organisation at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/changwat\/\">\u0e0a\u0e49\u0e32\u0e07\u0e27\u0e31\u0e14<\/a> level.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-the-aor-bor-tor-does\">What the Aor Bor Tor does<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/building-permit\/\">Building permits<\/a>.<\/strong> Where the Building Control Act B.E. 2522 (1979) applies, the nayok Or Bor Tor is the local official who issues the permit to build, extend or demolish. For a house on village land this is the office to visit, and the permit it issues is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/building-permits-as-proof-of-ownership-for-foreign-property-owners-in-thailand\/\">valuable evidence that the foreigner, not the landowner, built and paid for the house<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/land-and-building-tax\/\">Land and building tax<\/a>.<\/strong> Under the Land and Building Tax Act B.E. 2562 (2019) the Aor Bor Tor assesses and collects the annual tax on land, houses and condominiums in its area (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/property-taxes-in-thailand\/\">\u0e20\u0e32\u0e29\u0e35\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e14\u0e34\u0e19\u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e2a\u0e34\u0e48\u0e07\u0e1b\u0e25\u0e39\u0e01\u0e2a\u0e23\u0e49\u0e32\u0e07\u0e43\u0e19\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e40\u0e17\u0e28\u0e44\u0e17\u0e22<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Public health licences and local services.<\/strong> It issues licences under the Public Health Act B.E. 2535 (1992) for food shops, markets and businesses classed as hazardous to health, maintains local roads, water supply and waste collection, and handles complaints about encroachment on public land, noise and nuisance.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What it does not do.<\/strong> The Aor Bor Tor does not register marriages, divorces or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/tabien-baan\/\">house registration books<\/a>; those are done at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/amphoe-or-amphur-district-office\/\">\u0e41\u0e2d\u0e21\u0e42\u0e1f<\/a> (district office). It does not transfer land; that happens at the provincial land office.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-a-foreign-buyer-should-visit-the-aor-bor-tor\">Why a foreign buyer should visit the Aor Bor Tor<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before buying or leasing land in a village, ask the Aor Bor Tor whether the access road is public or private, whether the plot is affected by planned roads, flood zones or town-planning restrictions, and whether any building on it was permitted. These checks are part of a proper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/due-diligence-in-thailand\/\">\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e15\u0e23\u0e27\u0e08\u0e2a\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e27\u0e34\u0e40\u0e04\u0e23\u0e32\u0e30\u0e2b\u0e4c\u0e2a\u0e16\u0e32\u0e19\u0e30<\/a> and complement the title search at the land office and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/chanote\/\">\u0e42\u0e09\u0e19\u0e14\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e14\u0e34\u0e19<\/a> itself. See also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/risks-of-buying-property-in-thailand\/\">\u0e04\u0e27\u0e32\u0e21\u0e40\u0e2a\u0e35\u0e48\u0e22\u0e07\u0e43\u0e19\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e0b\u0e37\u0e49\u0e2d\u0e2d\u0e2a\u0e31\u0e07\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e23\u0e34\u0e21\u0e17\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1e\u0e22\u0e4c\u0e43\u0e19\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e40\u0e17\u0e28\u0e44\u0e17\u0e22<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">\u0e04\u0e33\u0e16\u0e32\u0e21\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e1e\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22<\/h2>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list\">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">What is the difference between the Aor Bor Tor and the tesaban?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Both are elected local governments with the same kinds of powers (building permits, local taxes, public health licences, local services). The Aor Bor Tor serves a rural sub-district; the tesaban serves a municipality (town or city). A growing Aor Bor Tor can be upgraded to a tesaban tambon.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Does the Aor Bor Tor register marriages or house books?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>No. Marriage, divorce and civil registration (tabien baan, yellow book, births and deaths) are handled by the district office (amphoe) or, inside a municipality, the municipal registrar. The Aor Bor Tor deals with permits, local taxes and services.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Who is the nayok Or Bor Tor?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>The nayok Or Bor Tor is the chief executive of the Tambon Administrative Organisation, directly elected by the residents of the tambon for a four-year term. He or she signs building permits and represents the organisation.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u0e14\u0e39\u0e40\u0e1e\u0e34\u0e48\u0e21\u0e40\u0e15\u0e34\u0e21: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/tesaban\/\">tesaban (municipality)<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/tambon\/\">tambon (sub-district)<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/poo-yai-baan\/\">phu yai ban (village headman)<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/amphoe-or-amphur-district-office\/\">\u0e2d\u0e33\u0e40\u0e20\u0e2d<\/a> and our guides to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/building-permits-as-proof-of-ownership-for-foreign-property-owners-in-thailand\/\">building permits as proof of ownership<\/a> \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/construction-law-in-thailand\/\">construction law in Thailand<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aor Bor Tor (\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e15., also written Or Bor Tor, OBT, TAO or SAO) is the Thai abbreviation of Ongkan Borihan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":214,"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":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"aor bor tor","rank_math_title":"Aor Bor Tor (\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e15.) Meaning: Thailand's Sub-district Administrative Organisation | ThaiLawOnline","rank_math_description":"Aor Bor Tor (\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e15., also Or Bor Tor, OBT or TAO) is the elected local government of a rural Thai sub-district. What it does, building permits, land and building tax, and how it differs from the tesaban and the kamnan.","rank_math_breadcrumb_title":""},"class_list":["post-1786","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1786"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6878,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1786\/revisions\/6878"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1786"}],"curies":[{"name":"\u0e14\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e40\u0e1a\u0e34\u0e25\u0e22\u0e39\u0e1e\u0e35","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}