Q1033. What are the steps for translating international commercial contracts for legal proceedings in Thailand?

Answered by the NYC Visa & Translation certified translation team

International commercial contracts for Thai legal proceedings are translated under court rules, which are stricter than administrative translation. The process: the contract is translated into Thai in full — every page, including schedules, annexes, and signature blocks — by a translator whose certification the court accepts, and the translation is filed together with the original as evidence. Key requirements: the translator signs a certification of accuracy, and for contested proceedings the opposing party can challenge the translation, so the translator may be called to testify — choose a translator prepared for that; defined terms must be translated consistently throughout, because Thai courts construe the Thai version when the contract does not clearly designate a governing language; and where the contract has a governing-language clause stating the English (or other) version prevails, that clause must be translated and flagged, as it affects how the court treats discrepancies. Practical points: exhibits referenced in the contract need translation if filed; numbers, dates, and currency amounts are transcribed exactly without conversion; and for arbitration-related filings (enforcement of foreign arbitral awards), the award and the arbitration agreement both require certified translation under the Arbitration Act. Timing for a full contract translation runs from days for a short agreement to weeks for a lengthy one with schedules — plan against the court's filing deadlines. Confirm the court's current evidence-translation requirements with the handling lawyer.