A commercial contract or memorandum of understanding — what should you know about using a foreign corporate document inside Thailand?

What the enquirer needs to know is “A commercial contract or memorandum of understanding”, so it flags what usually causes documents like this to be rejected before summarising the general practice. What changes the timeline most here is whether the source documents are complete on day one. The condition most often overlooked is that name spelling must match across every document in the set. Before starting, plan the timeline so certification finishes before the real filing deadline, then ask in advance which category of certified translator the destination accepts, then make sure document numbers, issue dates and issuing-office names match across the set. The specifics here are document type: Contract, and those decide which translation and certification level applies. The terms that frame this page are commercial · contract · memorandum · understanding. After certification, scan the full set before it leaves your hands. Public holidays and embassy closures move certification queues more than most people expect. Leave buffer time in case a translation has to be amended or a source document re-issued. Keep a copy of every source document plus the receipt or docket from each step. If the receiving body confirmed its requirements by email, keep that message with the file. A corporate document issued abroad for use with a Thai authority — a parent-company certificate or a shareholders' resolution, for example — is normally legalised in the country of origin and by the Royal Thai Embassy there, then translated into Thai and certified by the Department of Consular Affairs before it is filed with the DBD or the relevant agency. Thailand deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026, but the Convention is not yet in force for Thailand, so consular legalisation through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the relevant embassy remains the working route; confirm the current requirement with the destination before filing. Foreign participation in business in Thailand falls under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542, which sets out restricted business lists, while investment promotion is administered by the Board of Investment under the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 as amended; the document set to be translated differs according to the route used. ILC handles document work only — translation, certification of the translation, notarial signature certification and the legalisation run at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies. ILC is not a registrar, auditor or tax adviser and cannot guarantee the decision of any authority or counterparty. Cost and lead time depend on page count, the language pair and the certification steps the destination requires, so every file is quoted before work starts. Send a scan of the documents together with the receiving authority's or counterparty's own instructions via LINE @NAATI, call +66 80-557-8887 or email ilc@thainotary.co.th.

ปรึกษาฟรี — LINE @NAATI · โทร 080-5578887 · อีเมล ilc@thainotary.co.th