Notary attorneys
Thai limited companies keep books under the Accounting Act B.E. 2543 and file tax under the Revenue Code. We h
Corporate services
Thai limited companies keep books under the Accounting Act B.E. 2543 and file tax under the Revenue Code. We handle monthly bookkeeping, year-end closing, auditor coordination, DBD e-Filing of the audited financial statements and all Revenue Department returns.

Foreign-owned companies in Thailand often assume one filing satisfies everyone. It does not: the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the Revenue Department run separate deadlines under separate statutes, and each carries its own penalty regime.
This page sets out the actual statutory duties with primary-source references so a CFO or finance manager can build a compliance calendar immediately. Fees are not published here because scope depends on transaction volume, VAT status and group complexity — ask our team by phone, LINE or email for a written quotation.
Thai limited companies keep books under the Accounting Act B.E. 2543 and file tax under the Revenue Code. We h
Provinces · 50+77
Checked against the intended destination and receiving authority
Send your company profile and accounting records by LINE, phone or email — we scope the work and reply in writ
Non-publicly accountable entities (NPAEs) — which covers most private limited companies — report under TFRS for NPAEs issued by the Federation of Accounting Professions. Publicly accountable entities such as listed companies, financial institutions and insurers apply full TFRS, which is converged with IFRS.
Applying the wrong framework is the most common cause of audit re-work, particularly around revenue recognition, leases and asset impairment. We map the chart of accounts to the correct framework in the first month of engagement.
Failure to submit financial statements on time attracts fines under the Accounting Act B.E. 2543 against both the company and its managing director. Late tax returns attract criminal fines under the Revenue Code plus a monthly surcharge. The exact amount depends on the return type, the delay and the officer's assessment, so confirm with the Revenue Department or ask us for a case-by-case estimate.
We do not guarantee tax audit outcomes and we do not provide aggressive avoidance advice. Our mandate is accurate records filed on time.
Late filing exposure
Failure to submit financial statements on time attracts fines under the Accounting Act B.E. 2543 against both the company and its managing director. Late tax returns attract criminal fines under the Revenue Code plus a monthly surcharge. The exact amount depends on the return type, the delay and the officer's assessment, so confirm with the Revenue Department or ask us for a case-by-case estimate.
Must a Thai company's fiscal year match the calendar year?
No. The company sets its own year end in its articles, but each accounting period must be 12 months, except the first period and any change of year end, which requires approval from the Director-General of the Revenue Department.
Does a dormant company still file?
Yes. A company with no revenue must still keep books, obtain an audit, submit financial statements to DBD and file PND.50 by the deadline.
How long must accounting records be retained?
At least five years under the Accounting Act B.E. 2543. In practice we recommend seven to ten years because assessments can reach further back in specific circumstances.
What is the difference between the bookkeeper and the auditor?
The bookkeeper prepares the accounts and is legally responsible for their accuracy; the licensed CPA independently audits and opines on the financial statements. The roles must be separate.
Can financial statements still be filed on paper?
Submission now runs through DBD e-Filing. The company must register credentials and link its bookkeeper in the system before the deadline.
Does a representative office need to keep accounts?
Yes. Foreign juristic persons carrying on business in Thailand, including branches and representative offices, fall under the Accounting Act for their Thai activities.
When is VAT registration required?
Once taxable turnover exceeds the threshold set in the Revenue Code, registration must be applied for within the statutory period. Some businesses register voluntarily before reaching the threshold.
Can statements be filed in English?
Statements submitted to DBD must be in Thai. We prepare a parallel English set with certified translation, and can add Notarial Services Attorney certification for overseas use.
What is needed to use Thai financial statements abroad?
Typically certified translation, notarial certification, legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs and stamping by the destination embassy. Thailand has acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, which enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027.
Can we change accounting firms mid-year?
Yes, provided the ledgers, trial balance, fixed asset register and filing evidence are handed over in full and the registered bookkeeper is updated in the DBD system.
How is your fee determined?
By document volume, transaction count, VAT status, headcount and intercompany complexity. Contact our team by phone, LINE or email for a written quotation.
Answers written from real files: what to prepare, who certifies what, and business-day estimates.
Yes. The duty to keep books starts on the date the registrar records the company, not on the date of first income. A dormant company must still close its accounts for the financial year, have them audited by a licensed CPA, present them to shareholders and file with the Department of Business Development and the Revenue Department. Nil accounts that are never filed are treated exactly like unfiled trading accounts.
They can support them, but auditors and the Revenue Department usually ask for Thai translations of the underlying records: intercompany agreements, cross-border invoices and balance confirmations. Use certified translations that name the translator and carry a completeness statement, and keep one consistent glossary across the whole file so that figures and counterparty names cannot be read two different ways during a review.
The working rule is at least five years from the closing date of the accounts, and an authority may require a longer period in specific cases. Electronic storage is accepted provided the records remain legible, retrievable and can be produced on request. Keep paper originals of the documents that matter most, such as signed contracts and original tax invoices, alongside the digital set.
Yes. The signature pages are sent abroad, signed in front of a notary public in that country, then authenticated by the competent authority there and by the Royal Thai Embassy before being returned for filing. Allow two to three working weeks because each layer has its own queue, and have a spare signed set prepared in case a courier loses the first one.
The working rule is at least five years from the closing date of each accounting period, and longer while any tax review is still open. Electronic storage is accepted where every page is legible, records are searchable by document number and backups exist. Documents that legally require a wet signature should still be kept in original form alongside the scanned set.
Keep the Thai financial statements as the official filing version and maintain an English translation as an internal companion document for directors and shareholders, using identical terminology every period so figures can be compared year on year. If a bank or overseas counterparty later needs the English set, upgrade that translation to a certified translation and add signature certification as required.
The statutory accounts filed in Thailand must be prepared in Thai, so a foreign-owned company usually maintains a bilingual chart of accounts and produces a Thai statutory set alongside an English management set. Keeping one source ledger with two presentation layers avoids reconciliation drift, and it lets the auditor trace every English management figure back to the Thai account it came from.
Plan on at least five years from the closing date, and longer where a tax assessment, litigation or a licence condition is still open. Retention covers ledgers, supporting vouchers, contracts and the filed returns, not just the financial statements. Electronic storage is acceptable when records stay complete, readable, tamper-evident and can be produced on request without delay.
Typically a trial balance mapped to the group chart of accounts, monthly management accounts, an intercompany reconciliation, the fixed asset register and confirmation that Thai filings are current. Where the parent's auditor relies on the Thai figures, they will also want the Thai auditor's report and, in some jurisdictions, a certified translation of it rather than an in-house one.
Accounting records and supporting documents must be retained for at least five years from the closing date, and tax officers can reach further back in specific circumstances. Digital storage is accepted where images are complete and legible, searchable, and the original can still be produced on request. Keep an off-site backup and record the scan date with each set so the chain of custody is demonstrable.
Not necessarily. The registered bookkeeper is responsible for recording transactions to standard; the financial statements are certified by the directors and examined by a licensed auditor who expresses the opinion. Set out in the engagement letter who owns each step, plus the closing date and the deadline for handing data to the auditor, so nothing falls between the two parties.
Yes, where the expense is demonstrably for the business and the paperwork is complete: a receipt or tax invoice in the company's name, evidence of approval, and proof of reimbursement. Receipts issued purely in an individual's name are commonly treated as non-deductible on assessment. A written expense policy and routing spend through company accounts remove most of that exposure.
Usually audited financial statements signed by a licensed CPA, proof of filing with the Department of Business Development, a current company affidavit and sometimes a trial balance for prior periods. When the recipient sits abroad, the bundle normally needs certified translation, then signature certification by a Notarial Services Attorney before MFA Consular legalisation and the destination embassy. We map that sequence to the recipient's written requirement first.
You can, but retroactive repair usually costs more than setting the system up in month one. The recurring problems are tax invoices missing required elements, expenses without supporting evidence, and cash movements with no counter-entry — all of which affect both tax and the statements filed with the authorities. We review the file first and say plainly what can be corrected and what has to be accepted.
A substitute pack usually works: the current company affidavit, the shareholder list, a trial balance signed by the bookkeeper, and a status letter signed by an authorised director. For overseas use, the status letter should carry a Notarial Services Attorney signature certification before it enters the Consular chain. We draft the wording around what the recipient actually verifies, rather than translating a letter that will bounce.
Thai law sets no expiry on the certification itself, but recipients — banks, registries, tender boards — usually require the underlying document to have been issued within three to six months. Past that window you need a fresh issue and a fresh certification chain. We therefore ask for the real filing deadline before starting, so nothing is certified too early and paid for twice.
Confirm first which financial year and which language the recipient actually wants. Then run the auditor's certified copy and the certified translation in parallel, because neither blocks the other. The Notarial Services Attorney signature certification is the shortest step, so it sits last before MFA Consular legalisation and the destination embassy. We build the timeline backwards from your filing date so you can see the day that cannot slip.
Usually not. If the standalone statements have already cleared the certification layers, the consolidated set can be added as a second bundle running the same chain, reusing the agreed accounting terminology for consistency. The point to watch is the issue dates: two bundles dated far apart look inconsistent to a reviewer. We reconcile figures and dates before dispatch, because mismatches are the most common bounce in group filings.
Full statements include the notes, which banks and regulators almost always want. Condensed sets are fine for an informal commercial check. The expensive mistake is sending the condensed set first and being asked for the full one later, because every certification layer then has to be repeated. We ask what the recipient will do with the file and prepare the version that covers both readings the first time.
Keep colour scans of the complete certified set, including the pages carrying the Notarial Services Attorney's seal and reference number, plus the MFA and embassy receipts. When the same recipient asks for next year's set, that reference pack cuts preparation time sharply. We hold the index for our clients and prompt them ahead of the new financial year.
An in-house bookkeeper suits companies with daily movement that need mid-month numbers immediately. An outsourced firm suits stable transaction volumes and gives continuity when staff leave. The deciding factor is rarely cost; it is who carries responsibility when a filing is wrong. We recommend the engagement letter name who signs each return, who holds the original vouchers, and who speaks to officials on the company's behalf.
Usually the statements bearing the auditor's signature, the auditor's report, the complete notes, a current company affidavit, and a certified translation where the destination does not read Thai. Only then does the file move to Notarial Services Attorney signature certification and on to MFA Consular legalisation or the destination embassy. We first establish which layer the word "certified" means for that recipient, so nothing is over- or under-done.
A Thai company keeps journals, the general ledger, the inventory record where relevant, and every source voucher behind each entry — invoices, receipts, bank statements, contracts and payroll records. The statutory retention period is five years from the closing date of the accounts, and officials may require longer in an examination. Keep originals, not only scans, because an examiner may ask to inspect the paper document that supports a deduction.
Statutory books and the filed financial statements are prepared in Thai baht, in the Thai language. Management reporting to a parent company can run in any currency, and most groups keep a parallel functional-currency ledger. The point that causes friction later is the conversion policy: fix the rate source and cut-off in writing at the start of the year, apply it consistently, and keep the rate evidence with the vouchers so the auditor never reconstructs it from memory.
Freeze the online filing credentials first, because those belong to the company and not to the person who left. Then obtain the trial balance at the handover date, the accounting-software data file, VAT input and output reports, and copies of every return already filed this year. Only after those exist should a new bookkeeper start posting. Reversing that order is how companies end up filing a period twice or missing one entirely.
No. Thai law requires a company to appoint a qualified accountant who is registered and whose name is filed with the authorities; that person carries professional responsibility for the books. Day-to-day data entry can be done by staff or an outsourced team. When you engage a firm, ask which named individual is filed as your accountant, because a service contract with a company name alone does not answer the question an examiner will ask.
ลูกค้าจริง 60+ สัญชาติทั่วโลก ใช้บริการ Notary, แปลรับรอง, MFA และสถานทูตกับเรา
"ทีมงานช่วยจัดเตรียมหนังสือมอบอำนาจสำหรับใช้ที่ออสเตรเลียได้รวดเร็วมาก พร้อมประสานงาน NAATI ครบจบในที่เดียว"
"Very professional notary service. Document was certified, translated and ready for the UK embassy in two business days."
"ใช้บริการรับรอง Affidavit + รายชื่อผู้ถือหุ้นเพื่อจดทะเบียนสาขาที่สิงคโปร์ ทีมงานละเอียดและตอบกลับไว"
Compliance work rarely stops at one page. These are the neighbouring topics in this cluster and the certification steps most files continue into.
Other topics in this cluster
Certification steps this often leads to
See the cluster overviewSend your company profile and accounting records by LINE, phone or email — we scope the work and reply in writing within one business day.
Short answer: Company documents such as certificates, board resolutions, powers of attorney and financial statements must be signed by the authorised directors shown on the company affidavit, sealed where required, then have the signature certified by a notarial services attorney before consular and embassy legalisation in the order the receiver requires.
Thai legal entities
Foreign companies and branch offices
Tenders, contracts and investment files
1. Verify signing authority against the affidavit
Match director names, the number of required signatories and the seal condition against the latest affidavit; a signature outside those conditions invalidates the whole set.
⏱ Confirmed with quotation
2. Draft the documents and translation
Draft resolutions or powers of attorney with a defined scope, validity period and covered transactions, with names spelled exactly as in the passport.
⏱ 1–2 working days (estimate)
3. Sign before a notarial services attorney
Authorised signatories appear in person with original identity documents so the attorney can certify the signature and the signer's capacity.
⏱ 1 working day (estimate)
4. File for consular legalisation
Submit the certified set to the Department of Consular Affairs through the channel currently offered.
⏱ 1–3 working days (estimate, excluding agency queues)
5. File at the destination embassy and deliver
Submit to the receiving country's embassy or consulate under its own conditions, then deliver with a backup copy for company records.
⏱ 2–10 working days (estimate, varies by mission)
| Criterion | In-house | Our team handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Signing authority check | HR or the company secretary checks it internally | We reconcile the affidavit and seal conditions before printing |
| Resolution and POA drafting | Generic templates that may not match the transaction | Drafted for the actual transaction with wording receivers have accepted |
| Multi-layer filing | Staff make repeated trips between agencies | We run the layers continuously and report status at each one |
| Risk to the closing date | High when a rejection lands near signing day | Screened in advance by a team with more than 15 years in this field |
If you would rather your team not spend days moving files between agencies, we can run the chain from authority check to delivery. Initial consultation is available by phone, LINE or email.
All durations are working-day estimates excluding agency queues, and are not a guarantee of any authority's decision.
Sources: กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า (DBD) — บริการข้อมูลนิติบุคคล · กองสัญชาติและนิติกรณ์ กรมการกงสุล กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ · สภาทนายความในพระบรมราชูปถัมภ์ · Last reviewed: 2026-08-10
Document and legalization advisers with 15+ years of practice
Before we start, we read your actual documents and confirm the legalization route matches what the receiving authority asks for. During the work we report progress, and after delivery we still answer questions about how to submit the file.
We prepare documents to the requirements of the receiving authority. Any approval decision remains at that authority's discretion.
Send your documents on LINE for a preliminary review, a recommended legalization route and a written quote.
General guidance, not a case-specific determination. Requirements change with agency notices — confirm with the receiving authority before you act.
Sources: กรมสรรพากร (The Revenue Department) · สำนักงานประกันสังคม (Social Security Office) · กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า กระทรวงพาณิชย์ (DBD) · สภาวิชาชีพบัญชี ในพระบรมราชูปถัมภ์ (TFAC) · Last reviewed: 2026-08-04
Questions from Thai companies and from businesses with foreign shareholders or staff: what has to be filed, who signs, and which records immigration and labour offices tend to ask for.
No. Financial statements are filed with the Department of Business Development under the accounting legislation and must carry an independent opinion from a licensed auditor. The corporate income tax return goes to the Revenue Department with its own schedules. Deadlines and signatories differ, and both agencies occasionally grant case-specific extensions, so check the current-year notices each year.
The Revenue Code requires registration once turnover from goods or services passes the statutory threshold, and some businesses register voluntarily earlier so they can issue tax invoices. Thresholds and sector exemptions are amended from time to time, so verify the figure with the Revenue Department — or ask us to check it — before you decide.
Foreign employees working lawfully for a registered employer are generally insured persons on the same basis as Thai staff. The employer registers them and remits contributions on the Social Security Office cycle. Contribution rates and the wage base are adjusted by ministerial regulation from time to time, so always work from the office's latest published notice.
The payer withholds according to the category of income and remits to the Revenue Department by the deadline in the following month. Different forms apply to employment income, payments to individuals and payments to juristic persons. A withholding certificate must be issued to the recipient each time — that is the document they rely on to credit the tax in their annual return.
Reviewing officers usually want evidence the company genuinely operates: filed financial statements, tax returns with proof of submission, and social security remittance lists for staff. The exact bundle varies with the application type and the office. Ask the receiving officer for their document list first, then submit a complete set to avoid repeat requests.
For internal group use a working translation is enough. For filing with a foreign authority, bank or court you will usually need a certified translation, and many countries also require legalisation at the Department of Consular Affairs followed by the destination embassy. For Apostille states that chain shortens once the Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027.
The accountant maintains the books and prepares the financial statements; the licensed auditor examines them and gives an independent opinion. The same person cannot hold both roles for the same entity because that defeats independence. Both professions are regulated by the Federation of Accounting Professions.
The Revenue Code provides for surcharges and penalties on late filing or underpayment, calculated by form type and length of delay, with separate fines available in some cases. The amount actually due must be computed case by case under the Revenue Department's published rules — do not treat figures quoted in general articles as settled.
A registered company must still keep books, close its accounts and file on schedule. Nil returns are filed where there is no activity. Letting filings lapse accumulates penalties and later complicates visa and work permit applications for foreign directors, because officers routinely ask for evidence of compliant filing history.
It depends on the income category and the double tax agreement between Thailand and the recipient's country. Some payments are withheld at Revenue Code rates; some qualify for a reduced rate when the recipient provides a tax residence certificate. Check the applicable treaty text before payment — correcting a wrong rate afterwards is difficult.
The accounting legislation sets a minimum retention period for books and supporting documents, and the Revenue Department may examine earlier years within the limits the law allows. Keep both digital files and signed paper originals, with an index, so you can respond to an examination notice quickly.
It depends on monthly transaction volume, payroll headcount, VAT status and the reporting language. We do not publish figures because scopes differ so widely. Send us an outline of your operations by phone, LINE or email and you will receive a scope of work and a quotation matched to your actual business.
Sources: กรมสรรพากร (The Revenue Department) · สำนักงานประกันสังคม (Social Security Office) · กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า (DBD) · สภาวิชาชีพบัญชี ในพระบรมราชูปถัมภ์ (TFAC) · Last reviewed: 2026-08-04
These are illustrative composites of common corporate document patterns, not individual client records, and not a guarantee of any authority's decision. Durations are approximate working-day ranges.
Illustrative scenarios, not individual client records · Last reviewed 2026-08-09
Short answer: Registrars refuse names that clash or breach naming rules, objectives that do not cover the real business, foreign shareholder powers of attorney without a complete certification chain, and incomplete office-address evidence.
We design the shareholding, objectives and foreign-document chain around the licences you will need next — advice first, filing second.
Durations are working-day estimates excluding agency queues, and are not a guarantee of any authority's decision.
Sources: กรมพัฒนาธุรกิจการค้า (DBD) · สภาทนายความในพระบรมราชูปถัมภ์ · Last reviewed: 2026-08-10
Company documents such as certificates, board resolutions, powers of attorney and financial statements must be signed by the authorised directors shown on the company affidavit, sealed where required, then have the signature certified by a notarial services attorney before consular and embassy legalisation in the order the receiver requires.
If you would rather your team not spend days moving files between agencies, we can run the chain from authority check to delivery. Initial consultation is available by phone, LINE or email.
Durations are working-day estimates excluding agency queues and are not a guarantee of any decision.

Statements on this page follow the authorities below. Confirm current requirements with the authority before filing. Last reviewed 2026-07-29.
Fees are not published online — ask our team by phone, LINE or email for a scope-based quote.