English and Thai Translation Services

Certified Thai to English and English to Thai Translation Services

If you are bringing official foreign documents to be used in Thailand, or need to submit Thai documents to a foreign organization, you will need to first translate them into the appropriate language. Your documents must be translated from English to Thai, or Thai to English depending on their intended use.

To ensure that these documents meet Thai legal standards and are acceptable by authorities, you need certified translation services done by a qualified translator. Siam Legal is a full-service law firm and visa consultancy, so we provide certified English/Thai translation services to ensure we can meet our clientele’s diverse legal and immigration needs. Regardless of a document’s purpose, we can provide an accurate and sound translation.

Our translator is a Level 3 Translator and Interpreter certified by the Southeast Asian Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters (SEAProTI), and is an Enlisted Document Translator for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). This means that our translator is trusted by the Thai government to translate official documents, including the Royal Gazette which publishes new Thai laws and official decrees.

Contact Siam Legal today if you need a certified translation that is guaranteed to meet Thai and international standards.

If you have more questions, keep reading to learn more about translations in Thailand and why they are needed, Siam Legal’s translation services, and how you can get your documents translated swiftly and accurately.

Why Do Documents Need to Be Translated in Thailand?

Documents used in Thailand for any official purpose must be in Thai, as it is the only official language. If you are submitting a document to a government agency or most private organizations for an official purpose, they will only accept it if it is in Thai. If the original document is in English, it will likely need to be translated by a qualified translator before it is acceptable; machine-powered translations like those made with Google Translate are not valid.

English to Thai Translations

Some of the most common documents that need to be translated from English to Thai for official purposes include:

• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Certificates
• Department of Business Development (DBD) documents
  • Company affidavits
  • Business objective documents
  • US/Thai Treaty of Amity documents
• Foreign Contracts
• Prenuptial Agreements
• Divorce Agreements
• Property Deeds and Other Documents relating to Real Estate
• Copies of Passports and Other ID Documents
• Last Will and Testament

These documents typically originate from outside Thailand, so they must be translated into Thai so that they can be used as evidence, submitted for applications, enforced in court, or other uses.

Thai to English Translations

Some of the most common documents that need to be translated from Thai to English for official purposes include:

• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Certificates
• Property Deeds
• Shareholder Agreements
• Foreign Embassy Documents
• Copies of Passports and Other ID Documents
• Bank Statements
• Court Documents
• Police Reports
• Last Will and Testament

Thai to English translations for these documents are typically done because they must be submitted to an international authority. Visa applications, marriage registrations, lost passport reports, and foreign divorce proceedings are just some of the tasks that require English translations of the original Thai documents involved.

Translations to English are the most common and sought-after, as it is one of the most widely used official languages in the world. For example, the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and all of the Schengen States accept English-language documents as part of their visa application requirements, just to name a few.

Non-Official Thai/English Translations

In addition to these official purposes, foreigners and Thai citizens alike often require translations for personal, business, or academic reasons. Siam Legal, while a full-service law firm, is still able to provide translations for documents that are not intended to be submitted to government organizations.

Some kinds of unofficial documents we are able to translate include:

• Academic Papers
• Scripts
• Statements and Letters
• Marketing Materials
• Online Content
• And More

Contact us to learn if we are able to help with your specific document that requires translation.

Certification and Legalization of Translations in Thailand

When you hear the term “certified translation,” this means that a translated document is stamped and signed by the translator certifying the quality of their work and the accuracy of their translation. It does not mean that it is automatically official and acceptable by international organizations, only that a professional translator has personally guaranteed the translation is correct.

There is no official credential that allows a translator to certify a translation. Therefore, even if you obtain a “certified translation,” it could still be rejected if it is inaccurate. To have your translation officially recognized as internationally acceptable, it must be legalized by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Furthermore, you may be required to utilize the services of a translator that is enlisted by the MFA for particularly important documents to be legalized, so be sure to check the credentials of any translator you work with.

Document Legalization in Thailand

To get a translated document legalized in Thailand so that it can be submitted to an embassy or foreign institution, it must be inspected by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The MFA will check to see if the translation is an accurate representation of the original (which you must also submit) and if it meets international standards. If so, the translation will be legalized and receive an official stamp.

It is important to note that before a translation can be legalized, the original document and any copies typically must be notarized by a Thai Notarial Services Attorney (NSA) first.

Fortunately, Siam Legal is able to provide notarization and legalization services as well as certified translation services, so you don’t have to go through multiple processes; we handle all your document needs in-house. One of our NSAs will notarize your document, our translator will provide a certified translation, and we can get all of it legalized by the MFA on your behalf.

Siam Legal’s English and Thai Translation Services

To get accurate and legally sound certified translations for your important documents quickly, Siam Legal provides a streamlined process. Whether you need English-to-Thai or Thai-to-English translations, our process is the same.

1. Contact us via phone, email, or the form on this page. You will be asked to upload scans of the document(s) you need to be translated.
2. We will then be able to provide you with a quote for our services. We generally charge by the page, but your final costs will depend on the complexity of your project.
3. If the quote is satisfactory, you will be given detailed instructions on how to make the payment and provide us with your documents.
4. Our translator will then give you a rough timeframe for your project and get to work translating your documents.
5. When the project is complete, you can pick up your documents at our office or we can arrange to have them sent to you. If all you require is a digital copy, we will provide a PDF file.

If your translations require notarization and/or legalization by the MFA, be sure to mention this to us. We can provide all three services at once, saving you time and money and ensuring the swiftest possible delivery.

And if these documents are for a visa application or legal matter, you should know that we can assist with those too. Siam Legal is a full-service law firm that’s been operating in Thailand for over 20 years and is trusted by businesses and individuals across the globe. We’re a one-stop shop for all of your legal and immigration requirements, so you can get reliable services for all your needs in one convenient location.

Contact Siam Legal today to get started and rest easy knowing multiple teams of experienced professionals are handling all your legal and immigration issues.