Quick answers to the questions we hear most, each linking through to the full guide on that topic.
As a rule, no. Foreigners can own condominium units (within the 49% foreign quota), register 30-year leases, and hold rights like usufruct — but not land freehold, and nominee workarounds are illegal. Property guide →
If you have Thai assets, yes — it makes probate dramatically faster and keeps your home-country will out of Thai courts. Inheritance guide →
A contested civil case commonly takes a year or more at first instance; appeals add more. Court mediation, and the small-claims and consumer-case tracks, often settle cases much faster. Procedure guide →
Yes. Criminal defamation charges — often paired with the Computer Crime Act for online posts — are a routine feature of Thai disputes. Think before you post reviews or accusations. Criminal guide →
Daily fines capped at a maximum, and re-entry bans on a sliding scale for overstays counted in months or years. Visa guide →
Up to 15% per year without a lending licence; above that the interest is void and can be criminal. Get loans in writing. Debt guide →
A Thai-law prenup must be registered at the amphur when the marriage is registered. A foreign prenup may carry weight abroad but do not rely on it for Thai marital property. Family guide →
No — Thai courts work in Thai, with interpreters for foreign parties in criminal cases and translated documents everywhere else. Documents guide →
Court-appointed counsel in criminal cases, Lawyers Council legal aid, the Justice Fund, and provincial complaint centres. Legal aid guide →
Ask for their Lawyers Council licence number and an engagement letter; be wary of guaranteed outcomes or claimed influence. Hiring guide →
Report it to your bank and the police quickly — fast reporting gives the best chance of tracing and freezing funds — and to the Consumer Protection Board if a business was involved. Consumer guide →
Report it to the provincial labour inspector, who can investigate without a lawsuit, or take it to the free, informal Labour Court. Employment guide →
Residents, including long-stay foreigners, are expected to hold one — an International Driving Permit is really for short visits. Traffic guide →
Compulsory motor insurance pays a baseline amount regardless of fault; voluntary insurance covers the rest, and a civil claim can cover what insurance doesn’t. Get a police report first. Injury guide →
Generally no — normal wear and tear is not damage. Photograph the property at move-in and move-out to settle disputes. Tenancy guide →
No — Thailand runs a simplified, faster small-case procedure for modest claims, and an even friendlier track for consumer cases against a business. Small claims guide →
Generally: notarise/authenticate it at home, legalise it via the Thai embassy (or your embassy in Bangkok), then get a certified Thai translation, legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if the receiving office requires it. Notarisation guide →
Not strictly — the Labour Protection Act’s core protections generally apply once a genuine employment relationship exists, contract or not. A written contract still makes disputes far easier to resolve. Employment guide →
A judgment does not collect itself — enforcement through the Legal Execution Department can only take what the debtor actually has. Assess collectability before spending on litigation. Debt guide →