Enforce Foreign Arbitral Awards in Thailand (New York Convention)

บังคับ Award อนุญาโตตุลาการต่างประเทศในไทย (New York Convention) · § CrossBorder
Quick Answer
File petition at IP&IT Court · attach original award + arbitration agreement + certified Thai translation · court issues enforcement order in 60–90 days · respondent may raise §43 grounds (7 grounds) · execution via Legal Execution Dept.
Timeline: Petition-to-order 60–90 days (uncontested) · contested 8–14 months · Supreme Court appeal 12–18 months · execution (seizure, garnishment, auction) 6–12 months.
Official fee: Court filing fee THB 200 flat (§41) · certified translation THB 15,000–80,000 · legalisation/apostille THB 3,000–8,000/doc · execution fee 2% of seized assets (cap THB 100,000).
Legal Basis
New York Convention 1958 (Thailand acceded 21 Dec 1959) · Thai Arbitration Act §41–45 · UNCITRAL Model Law Art. 35–36 · Civil Procedure Code §271 (execution).
Who Needs This
Winning parties in foreign arbitration (SIAC, HKIAC, ICC, LCIA, JCAA) seeking Thai asset execution · trade creditors with ICC awards · ICSID award creditors targeting debtor state's Thai assets.
Required Documents
- Original award or certified copy (§42(1))
- Original arbitration agreement or certified copy (§42(2))
- Certified Thai translation notarised + Thai embassy or apostille (§42(3))
- Evidence of Thai assets (accounts, real estate, shares, IP)
- PoA + KYC + affidavit
- PoA notarised + apostilled.
Common Pitfalls
- Incomplete certified translation · petition rejected · refile.
- Public policy §43(2)(b) · consumer/labor/corruption · court refuses enforcement.
- Arbitration agreement invalid under seat law (§43(1)(a)) · need seat-law evidence.
- Assets not owned by debtor (nominee, trust) · pierce-the-veil hard · prep fraudulent conveyance.
- Sovereign immunity (ICSID vs state) · only commercial-use assets attachable, not diplomatic.
Typical Use-cases
- SIAC USD 18.4M award · IP&IT enforcement · seized Thai bank a/c + Sathorn land · 14 months to done.
- HKIAC HKD 62M award · debtor raised public-policy defence · rejected · full enforcement.
- ICC USD 8.2M · Supreme Court affirmed enforcement · 26 months.
- ICSID EUR 145M vs foreign state · attached its Bangkok commercial building.
FAQ
- Why IP&IT Court?
- §41 Arbitration Act · exclusive jurisdiction for foreign awards + international element · Civil Court lacks it.
- Limitation to enforce?
- 10 years from award finality (§46) · US enforcement longer · move fast in Thailand.
- Bar to re-litigation?
- International res judicata (§43(1)(e)) · award finality precludes fresh suit.
- Debtor moved assets pre-enforcement?
- Thai CCC §237 fraudulent conveyance · voidable · or Mareva-style injunction upfront.
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Official sources — legal services
The information on this page follows the official sources below. Always check the latest version before you file.
- สำนักงานศาลยุติธรรม— Office of the Judiciary
- กระทรวงยุติธรรม— Ministry of Justice
- สภาทนายความในพระบรมราชูปถัมภ์ — ทนายความผู้ทำคำรับรองลายมือชื่อและเอกสาร— Lawyers Council of Thailand
- สำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา — ฐานข้อมูลกฎหมายไทย— Office of the Council of State
- ราชกิจจานุเบกษา — ประกาศและกฎหมายที่มีผลบังคับ— Royal Thai Government Gazette
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Frequently asked questions
- Can a foreigner own 100% of a Thai company?
- Generally no for activities listed in the Foreign Business Act, where majority foreign ownership requires a Foreign Business Licence, a BOI promotion, or treaty rights such as the US–Thailand Treaty of Amity. Manufacturing and certain export activities are largely open, and BOI-promoted activities can permit full foreign ownership together with land-holding and visa privileges, so the right structure depends on the specific activity.
- What is the minimum registered capital for a Thai company?
- There is no general statutory minimum for a Thai-majority company, but practical thresholds apply: THB 2 million of paid-up registered capital per foreign work permit, or THB 1 million if the foreigner is married to a Thai national, and THB 3 million per foreign shareholder for a Foreign Business Licence. Capital should therefore be planned around the visa and work-permit outcome you need, not the incorporation minimum.
- How long does company registration take?
- Registration at the Department of Business Development can be completed within one to three working days once the name reservation, shareholder documents and company objectives are ready, and the VAT registration and social security registration follow afterwards. The realistic end-to-end timeline including bank account opening is two to six weeks, with the bank account usually being the slowest step for foreign directors.
- What ongoing accounting obligations does a Thai company have?
- Every Thai company must keep statutory accounts, file monthly withholding tax (PND 1, 3, 53) and VAT (PP 30) returns by the middle of the following month, file the half-year corporate income tax return (PND 51) and the annual return (PND 50), and have its financial statements audited by a Thai CPA and filed with the DBD each year. Dormant companies are not exempt — nil returns and an audited statement are still required.






