Who can certify documents in Thailand?
Only a Notarial Services Attorney (NSA) — a lawyer licensed by the Lawyers Council of Thailand — can lawfully certify signatures, true copies, affidavits, and oaths in Thailand. The MFA Consular Department then legalises the NSA's seal for overseas use.
Detailed Answer
Document certification in Thailand follows a two-tier system. Tier 1 — domestic certification: only a Notarial Services Attorney (NSA) registered with the Lawyers Council of Thailand under Royal Patronage may certify signatures, true copies, document existence, person identity, and oaths. Government officers (district officers, police) cannot perform notarial functions. Tier 2 — international legalisation: once notarised by an NSA, the document must be authenticated by the Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA, Chaeng Watthana) for use abroad, then by the destination country's embassy. Thailand acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention 1961 with effect from 2026; documents bound for Hague members can now skip the embassy step.
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- Notarial Services Attorney Regulation B.E. 2546 (2003) — Lawyers Council of Thailand
- Civil and Commercial Code — Notarization — Office of the Council of State, Thailand
- Hague Apostille Convention 1961 — Thailand accession (deposited 30 June 2026; entry into force 28 February 2027) — Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)
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