A Thai party owes you money or won’t perform.
Trade creditors, lenders, judgment and award holders, and buyers owed by a developer: we act for you in Thailand from the first check to enforcement, one stage at a time, with the fee for each stage agreed before it starts.
Start your matterYou are owed by someone in Thailand, and you are not there.
- A Thai customer or distributor has stopped paying your invoices.
- You lent money to a Thai company or individual and repayments have stopped.
- You won a court judgment abroad against a Thai party.
- You hold an arbitral award and need it enforced in Thailand.
- A developer has stalled, and you are owed a refund of the instalments you paid.
- Your Thai debtor is in bankruptcy or business rehabilitation, and you need to file a claim in time.
Check, secure, recover, enforce.
Each stage has a written scope, a fixed fee and a written report. You decide after each report whether to go further, so litigation is only considered once you know whether it makes sense.
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Check
Find out what the claim is worth before spending on recovery.
- Includes
- A counterparty check from company records and public data, a review of your contract, invoices and correspondence, a limitation check, and a written assessment of options and likely costs.
- Not included
- Contact with the debtor or any court action.
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Secure
Protect your position before it gets worse.
- Includes
- Steps to protect limitation periods and evidence, security where it is available (for example a registered mortgage for a lender), and watching for insolvency notices published in Thai.
- Not included
- Recovery action, unless agreed as the next stage.
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Recover
A formal demand and negotiation, carried out by our legal team.
- Includes
- A demand letter from our legal team, negotiation, and a written settlement if one is reached.
- Not included
- Court proceedings.
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Enforce
Court, arbitration and insolvency routes when negotiation fails.
- Includes
- Proceedings in Thailand, enforcement of arbitral awards, enforcement of Thai judgments through the Legal Execution Department, bankruptcy petitions where the thresholds are met, and claims in a debtor’s insolvency.
- Scope
- Quoted separately for each step, with the responsible lawyer named in the engagement letter.
Our case team never contacts your debtor: contacting debtors is a regulated activity in Thailand, so demands and negotiations always come from our legal team. How staged fees work is explained on Fees & process.
A judgment is not money.
Winning in court is a step, not the end. A Thai judgment still has to be enforced through the Legal Execution Department, which is possible for 10 years, and what you recover depends on what the debtor owns. That is why the Check stage looks at the debtor before you spend on litigation.
Arbitration works better than foreign judgments.
A foreign court judgment is not directly enforceable in Thailand, but a foreign arbitral award is. For new contracts with Thai parties, choose arbitration. Our Commercial Desk reviews dispute clauses before you sign.
One point of contact. Licensed lawyers for the legal work.
- Your case managerYour single point of contact: intake, the conflict check, coordination, translation and every written update.
- Our legal teamLicensed Thai lawyers, assigned to your matter: demands, negotiation, proceedings in Thailand and enforcement.
For each matter we assign the lawyer or specialist best suited to your needs. The responsible lawyer and their firm are named in your engagement letter. Who you work with
Thai law on recovering money: the points that matter.
- Are foreign court judgments enforceable in Thailand?
- Not directly. The creditor must sue again in Thailand, using the foreign judgment as evidence.
- Are foreign arbitral awards enforceable?
- Yes. Thailand has been a New York Convention state since 1959, and enforcement is governed by the Arbitration Act B.E. 2545 (2002).
- How long is the limitation period for trade debts?
- A merchant’s claim for goods delivered or services provided is generally time-barred after 2 years (Civil and Commercial Code s.193/34).
- And for loans and other contract claims?
- Generally 10 years (Civil and Commercial Code s.193/30).
- How long can a Thai judgment be enforced?
- For 10 years, through the Legal Execution Department.
- When can a creditor petition for bankruptcy?
- When the debt is at least THB 1 million (individual debtor) or THB 2 million (company debtor) and the debtor is insolvent.
- How long do creditors have to claim in an insolvency?
- In bankruptcy, 2 months from the published receivership order (creditors abroad may be granted a limited extension). In business rehabilitation, about 1 month after the plan administrator’s appointment is published. Notices are published in Thai.
- What security can a foreign lender take?
- A foreign lender can be registered as mortgagee over Thai land or buildings. It cannot take ownership on default, but is paid from the auction proceeds. Security over business assets under the Business Security Act B.E. 2558 is limited to financial institutions and other prescribed lenders.
- Can creditors or buyers claim as a group?
- Thai class actions have been available since December 2015, including for contract and consumer claims, which can matter to buyers of the same failed development.
Frequently asked questions
Can I enforce my foreign court judgment against a Thai company?
Not directly. A new case has to be filed in Thailand, and your foreign judgment is used as evidence. If your contract has an arbitration clause and you hold an arbitral award, the position is better: Thailand enforces foreign arbitral awards under the New York Convention.
How long do I have to claim an unpaid invoice from a Thai buyer?
Often only 2 years for a merchant’s claim for goods delivered or services provided. Loans and most other contract claims generally run for 10 years. The Check stage confirms which period applies to your claim.
Will you contact my debtor directly?
Our case team never contacts debtors. Demands and negotiations are sent by our legal team, in line with Thai rules on debt collection.
A developer has stalled and owes me a refund. Is that a recovery matter?
Yes. A buyer who has paid instalments to a developer that stalls is its creditor. Delay notices, extension disputes and refund claims are handled here, and buyers of the same development may be able to bring a class action. If you are still buying, see Purchase Protection.
Related services
Tell us about the claim.
Start with the names of the parties involved, for our conflict check. Please don’t send contracts or invoices until we confirm we can act. If a deadline is close, include the date in your message.