A power of attorney is a legal document that gives one person (the principal) the power to act on behalf of another person (the agent) in certain matters. The power of attorney can be general, giving the agent broad powers, or it can be specific, giving the agent power to act in only certain matters.
In Thailand, the requirements for a power of attorney vary from office to office. For example, the land department will have a form to sell property will be different from the power of attorney required to open a bank account. Even just for the land department, the POA for condos won’t be the same as the POA for chanotte. It is important to check with the specific office or authority to determine the requirements for their power of attorney.
Here are some of the common types of power of attorney in Thailand:
- General power of attorney: This gives the agent broad powers to act on behalf of the principal in all matters.
- Special power of attorney: This gives the agent power to act in only certain matters, such as selling property or opening a bank account.
- Durable power of attorney: This remains in effect even if the principal becomes incapacitated.
- Limited power of attorney: This gives the agent power to act in only a limited number of matters, such as withdrawing money from a bank account.
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 to make it more enforceable. 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.
Here are some of the things to keep in mind when drafting a power of attorney in Thailand:
- The power of attorney must be in writing and signed by the principal.
- Some power of attorney must be notarized, like for the land department if you are abroad.
- The power of attorney must be in Thai or translated into Thai by a certified translator.
If you are considering drafting a power of attorney in Thailand, it is advisable to consult with an attorney to ensure that the power of attorney is valid and enforceable.
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 Chanotte 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, it must be notarized. See the Thai version for more details on the last point.
- General Power of Attorney in English and Thai. Be careful The Department of Business Development (DBD), the Labour Department, the Land Department, and several others have their own forms. However, this one often works in many places.
- Power of Attorney for the labour department (this is a form for the labour department, like for work permit purposes)
- Power of attorney for a child to travel abroad. It is also called a “travel permit”.
- Soon more…..
