If you are looking for an experienced Notary Public in Bangkok, then you have come to the right place. The benefit of having your essential legal documents processed by a Notary Public is that they are internationally recognised.

You will not need to be concerned whether international and local authorities will not accept your notarised documents by a Thailand Notary. The services of a Notary Public are broad and comprehensive.

In Thailand, if a Thai attorney wants to register as a Notarial Service Attorney, they must pass a specific training course before being permitted to offer notarial services.

What does a Notary Public do?

A Notary Public is an attorney who has been authorised by the Supreme Court of Thailand, located in Bangkok. It is the highest Thai court of justice, covering both criminal and civil cases for the entire country.

Certain documents must be drawn and attested (certified) by a notary by law. Any legal document must meet the minimum requirements to be notarised. These requirements may include a stated commitment (on the parts of the parties involved), original signatures from the same, and photo identification.

Suppose any legal document (such as those issued by the government) does not meet the necessary requirements or the identity of the owner document owner. In that case,n, then a notary may refuse to authenticate the document. 

But if the notary is satisfied that the documents meet all the requirements, then they award a notarial certificate, signing and attaching their seal to the document.

These documents are known as notarial deeds. A Notary Public is also authorised to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of legal documents such as those regarding:

• Deeds
• Estates 
• Power of Attorney
• Affidavits
• Trusts

The types of documents you would need to have certified are:

• Banking documents
• Loan documents
• Letter documents
• Copies of passports and ID cards
• Birth, Death, Marriage(ante and post-nuptial) certificates
• Divorce certificates
• Company documents
• Copies of original documents (attested to be true)
• Educational documents (such as degrees)
• Proof of address in Thailand
• Translated documents

When a Notary is verifying and certifying documents, they will also need to verify the following:

1. The identity of the person/s appears before them.

• This is done either by a personal acquaintance (having actually met you) or by referencing proof of identities such as your driver’s license or passport. 
• When you have been verified, you will be recorded in their register.

2. The soundness of mind of participating parties.

• Especially in the instance of notarising deeds, estates, marriage and divorce certificates, and loans, the Notary Public will need to verify that the participating party understands clearly what they are signing and why. 
• Their state of mind should be verified before, during, and after the signing. Signing parties may not be intoxicated, medicated, or in any situation that impairs their judgment.

3. Legal age of the participating parties.

• In the instance of entering into a legally binding agreement, such as marriage, death, financial loans, etc., the Notary Public will need to verify that the signing party/s are of the country’s legal age.

4. Participating parties are all willing signers.

• The Notary will have to verify that the participating parties are both willing and capable of signing legal documents. There are no signs of coercion from anyone else present.

Why do you need a Notary Public?

A Thai Notary Public is held to a higher standard of care than a regular attorney. The ethical nature of the services they render and the specialist knowledge that is required for them to do such work holds the office of a Notary Public in high esteem.

You will need a Notary Public to:

• Witness signatures
• Identify fraud
• Draw and attest contracts and statements
• Authenticate the validity of certain documents
• Take affidavits and statutory declarations
• Take acknowledgement of deeds and other conveyances
• Providing notice of foreign drafts
• Administer oaths and affirmations 

There are certain documents that by law are required to be notarially executed, which then require that the Notary Public not only drafts the documents but also has to be present to witness the signing of those documents.

As previously mentioned, these documents are called Notarial deeds, which are kept in the Notary Public’s safekeeping. A Notary Public must keep a protocol and register all the documents they draft and attest to.

The importance of notarisation

The primary function of notarisation is that it has a legal impact on the document presented. In fact, any private document that has been notarised in any form is converted to a public instrument.

This means that the notarised document, which is yours personally, is now validated and rendered acceptable for the use of public actions. These actions can include an authenticated copy of your passport by a Thai Notarial Service Attorney will be accepted by the relevant government authority in travel document applications.

The same applies to any personal contract such as a deed or company contract. Once notarised, the agreements on the contract are enforceable and recognised by law because the Notary’s signature serves as proof of the legality and authenticity of the document.

What is a Notary Seal?

A notary seal is an impression of the Notary Public either on an inked stamp or a crimping embosser. The seal is used to authenticate the Notary’s signature and to make the notarial act official.

A legitimate Notary Public will have a stamp or embosser that contains their commission information.

Do notarised documents expire?

The actual notarisation seal and signature of a Notary Public do not expire in as much as the Notary is legally authorised to render their services.

Documents are constantly changing and need amendments, or by their nature have expiration dates, such as passports, driver’s licenses, etc. There will be an expiration date present on the Notary Seal in these instances.

While the date shown on the seal during the notarisation period is valid, the verified documents will also be valid. Governments have their own validity periods for which the certification of legal documents will be accepted. 

Once that period has expired, you will need to get your documents certified again.