Ubon Ratchathani Lawyer

27/09/2026

Professional legal services in Thailand, now affordable.

25/09/2026

Usufruct is NOT a nominee. It is NOT illegal.

With all the talk about the nominee crackdown, many couples are worried about their home in Thailand. So let's clear this up.

A usufruct (สิทธิเก็บกิน) is written in the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, Sections 1417 to 1428. It sits in the same part of the Code as superficies, and it is as ordinary as a lease. It has been part of Thai law since the Code was adopted in the 1930s.

It has nothing to do with shareholders, companies or nominees. Your Thai partner owns the property. You get the right to live in it, use it, rent it out and keep the income, for life or for up to 30 years. It is registered on the title deed at the Land Office.

Thai wife, Thai husband, Thai girlfriend, Thai boyfriend: it works for all couples.

One thing to know: the law has not changed, but some Land Offices have become difficult about registering a usufruct for a foreigner. Some now interview both partners, ask for extra documents, or refuse outright. Always check with your Land Office before you go.

Read the latest updates, office by office, on our website:
https://www.thailawonline.com/usufruct-agreement-in-thailand/

08/09/2026

Living in a home registered in someone else’s name? Understand what protects your right to remain there.

A registered usufruct allows you to use the property and receive benefits such as rental income while ownership remains with the owner. The right ends when the usufruct holder dies, even if a fixed term remains.

Good drafting matters. The agreement should address use, rental rights, repairs and expenses. Existing rights, arrangements between spouses and local Land Office requirements also deserve attention. Signing a private contract alone does not create the registered property right.

ThaiLawOnline’s registered Thai lawyers draft bilingual Thai-English usufruct agreements for 3,900 baht, with a document checklist and registration guidance. In-person Land Office attendance is quoted separately. Government fees and taxes are additional.

Read our usufruct guide.

Email [email protected] and we will provide additional information.

04/09/2026

This month, I published a newsletter about some of the problems I have seen with Last Wills and Living Wills in Thailand. It includes several real cases and lessons learned from them.

Read it here:
https://www.thailawonline.com/newsletter-september-2026/

I also launched a Living Will maker. Preparing your Living Will online is free. The fee to download the completed bilingual document, together with detailed signing instructions, is only 590 baht.

https://www.thailawonline.com/living-will-en/

I first researched Living Wills in Thailand in 2008, when the subject was still quite new here. I spent two weeks working exclusively on this issue and comparing legal and medical documents from Thailand, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and other countries. I was also among the first people to publish practical information about Living Wills in Thailand.

In August, I met the director of Be Well Medical Center to discuss Living Wills and the practical needs of its 3,500 members in Hua Hin. The discussion reinforced how important clear wording and proper signing instructions are.

The document created in 2026 reflects almost 20 years of research and experience. In my view, the quality compares favourably with documents for which law firms often charge 5,000 baht or more.

The price is low because the system prepares the document from the information and choices entered by the user. The 590-baht fee does not include individual review or correction by a lawyer. The client remains in control of the choices and must verify all information before signing.

Legal services are changing quickly. Good legal documents should become more accessible and affordable, without sacrificing serious research or proper legal structure.

Generate a Thai advance medical directive (living will) online. Bilingual, compliant with the 2010 Regulation. For your estate, see our Last Will guide.

07/08/2026

I created something I have wanted to do for a long time: The State of Expat Law in Thailand.

https://www.thailawonline.com/state-of-expat-law-thailand/

There is a huge amount of information online about visas, property, nominee companies, taxes, immigration and new laws in Thailand. The problem is that proposals and announcements are often reported as if they were already law.

So we decided to do something more useful.

We review legislation, Royal Gazette publications, government announcements, administrative practice, Supreme Court decisions and the main stories in the media, then explain one thing:

What has really changed, and does it affect foreigners in Thailand?

Our first report covers January to June 2026:
https://www.thailawonline.com/state-of-expat-law-thailand/h1-2026/

We reviewed ten major developments widely reported as affecting foreigners. Only four had become law.

We also publish weekly legal updates here:
https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-legal-news/

This project has been building for months and, in some areas, for years. We have been collecting Supreme Court decisions, annotating Thai laws, translating legal material and building practical tools for expats.

Now I think it is time to make much more of this available because it can genuinely help people living in Thailand.
For example:

Free Expat Legal Health Check
https://www.thailawonline.com/legal-health-check-for-expats/
Check areas such as property, marriage, children, wills, immigration and emergency planning.

Thai Lease Red-Flag Scanner
https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-lease-scanner/
Paste a Thai or English lease and check for common problems involving deposits, termination, repairs and other clauses.

Thai Visa Finder
https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-visa-finder/

Answer a few questions and see which Thai visa options are likely to fit your situation.

We also have our annotated Thai legal library, including:

Civil and Commercial Code
https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-civil-code/

Penal Code
https://www.thailawonline.com/thai-penal-code/

Plus the Land Code, Foreign Business Act, Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure Code and thousands of curated Supreme Court decisions.

We are also launching memberships with legal templates and personalized documents in Thai and English.

The idea behind all of this is quite simple.

A foreigner living in Thailand should be able to come to one place, understand what changed, check the law, look at their own situation, use practical tools and contact a lawyer when they really need one.

We have been building this for a long time.

Now it is time to open it up and let people use it.

Bilingual EN/TH reference to the Thai Penal Code: offenses, penalties and defenses, with firm annotations and Supreme Court decisions.

09/06/2026

16 years ago, I made a video to help fathers understand how to legitimize their parental rights in Thailand.

Fast forward to today: We have successfully handled over 100 child custody cases with a perfect 100% success rate.

If you need assistance with a family law or custody matter, get in touch with us at ThaiLawOnline. (And yes, I look a little older now than I did in 2010!) ⚖️👇

Custody of Thai Children and Thai Law about Custody. Simple video e...

30/05/2026

Looking for reliable, transparent, and expert legal services in Thailand? Since 2006, ThaiLawOnline has been helping expats and locals navigate Thai law with absolute clarity and fixed, honest pricing. No hidden fees. No guesswork. Offices in many cities of Thailand, nationwide coverage.

Whether you need essential legal agreements or strong courtroom representation, our experienced team is here to protect your interests.

Last Will & Testament: 3,900 THB
Usufruct Agreement: 3,900 THB
Prenuptial Agreement: 8,900 THB
Legal Due Diligence: Starting at 19,900 THB

But we also go to court. We handle civil litigation, divorce, and debt recovery. We also help with child custody, family law, property law, and corporate law. And more.

Got a quick question right now?

Do not hesitate to contact us, or try our Free AI-Chatbot directly on our website! Trained specifically under Thai Law, it is ready 24/7 to answer your initial legal questions instantly.

🇬🇧 English / français : 08 7225 1340
🇹🇭 Thai: 087 414 9288
📧 Email: [email protected]

Website & AI Chatbot: www.thailawonline.com

08/04/2026

Can Foreigners Own Land in Thailand? The Truth Behind the Law.

Thinking about buying your dream home in the Land of Smiles?

🇹🇭 Before you sign any contracts, it’s vital to understand the Land Code Act. Generally, foreigners are restricted from owning land directly, but there are several legal pathways to secure your investment!

Key takeaways from our latest guide:

✅ Condominiums: Foreigners can own up to 49% of the total unit space in a registered condo.
✅ Leaseholds: A common and legal 30-year lease path.
✅ Sap-Ing-Sith: A modern property right offering more flexibility than a standard lease.
✅ Usufruct & Superficies: Rights that allow you to use land or own the buildings on it.

Don't risk your investment with "nominee" structures that could lead to legal trouble. Read the full breakdown of your legal options here:

🔗 https://thailawonline.com/thailand-land-ownership-restriction/

Discover the implications of Land Ownership Restriction in Thailand before purchasing your dream property in Chiang Mai.