What is a Thailand Notarial Services Attorney and How is it Different from a Notary Public?

If you searched for a notary in Thailand and got confused by the terminology, this explains everything

Aphiwat Bualoi, Attorney at Law  |  aphiwatlaw.com

The confusion most people run into

You need a document notarized. You type into Google: notary public Chiang Mai. And then you find something called a Notarial Services Attorney instead. You wonder if this is the same thing or something different and whether it will work for what you need.

This is a very common point of confusion for foreigners in Thailand. Let me explain it clearly.

What a Notary Public is in other countries

In countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and most of Europe, a Notary Public is a specific official role. In some countries it is a separate profession. In others it is a government-appointed position. Either way, the Notary Public has legal authority to witness signatures, certify documents, administer oaths, and authenticate official papers.

When your bank, your embassy, your pension provider, or your foreign property lawyer asks for a document to be notarized, they usually have this kind of person in mind.

Why Thailand does not have a Notary Public

Thailand has never had a Notary Public system in the same way these countries do. The role simply does not exist under Thai law in the traditional sense.

For many years this created a real problem. Foreigners living in Thailand needed documents notarized but there was no official person to do it. Embassies were sometimes the only option, which was slow, expensive, and required appointments that were weeks away.

What Thailand created instead

In 2008 the Lawyers Council of Thailand introduced a new certification called the Notarial Services Attorney. This is a licensed Thai lawyer who has completed additional training and passed an examination specifically in notarial work. The Lawyers Council issues the certificate and maintains the register.

A Notarial Services Attorney in Thailand can do almost everything a Notary Public does in other countries. They can witness and certify signatures, certify true copies of documents, notarize translations, administer affidavits, authenticate identity documents, and prepare Powers of Attorney.

Most foreign institutions, embassies, banks, and government agencies accept documents certified by a Thai Notarial Services Attorney in the same way they would accept a Notary Public from their own country. The key is that the lawyer must hold the specific notarial certificate, not just a general law license.

How to check

If you are not sure whether a lawyer in Thailand is qualified to notarize your documents, the simple question to ask is: do you hold a Notarial Services Attorney certificate issued by the Lawyers Council of Thailand? A genuine certificate holder will show it to you without hesitation.

Our office holds this certificate. You can view it on our website or ask us to show you the original when you visit.

So when you search for a notary in Chiang Mai and find us instead of a Notary Public, this is why. We are the Thai equivalent, and for most purposes we can do exactly what you need.

If you need notarial services in Chiang Mai and want someone who speaks English and handles everything properly, contact Aphiwat Bualoi Law Office. First consultation is free.

Tel: 064-932-1365  |  info@aphiwatlaw.com  |  aphiwatlaw.com