Notary Public Or Commissioner For Oaths

[Time Traveller]

I have to get some documents signed to confirm my identity for something in Singapore. Does anyone know what Notary Public or Commissioner for Oaths is, and where in Bangkok is a person like that? Is this done at the Singapore embassy?

Previously a law office wanted 3000 Baht for just a signature on a copy of my ID, which I decided I'd ask somewhere else. At that cost I think I would just fly down to Singapore and present my ID in person!

Edited May 15, 2012 by Time Traveller

[Darrel]

You should be able to get this done for 300-500B at a Notary's or a lawyer's office. You certainly can do so in Soi Post Office in Pattaya.

The price, as always, depends on your bargaining skills.

I got my Thai bank to certify several ID copies for me for free.

[cardholder]

You should be able to get this done for 300-500B at a Notary's or a lawyer's office. You certainly can do so in Soi Post Office in Pattaya.

The price, as always, depends on your bargaining skills.

I got my Thai bank to certify several ID copies for me for free.

Obviously - your Thai bank are not Notaries.

[Sateev]

Since there is no LEGAL basis for notarial services in Thailand, where you go for certification of documents is highly dependent on what the recipient of the document will accept. However, the Thai Council of Lawyers has a program (for lawyers, of course) that gives them special training and allows them to 'notarize' documents. Note that there is no supporting law establishing notarial services in Thailand, but that it is merely a bar association reserving unto themselves the right to 'license' their members to certify documents.

What this means is that, a) only lawyers can perform 'notarial' services in Thailand, and you will be charged accordingly, i.e., what the market will bear.

Here's a nice explanation.

Best to ask the folks in Singapura exactly what they will accept. The Singapore Embassy might be a good place to start. You also might want to check at your embassy - the US Consular Services will notarize some documents, at $50 a pop for its citizens.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Sateev

[Darrel]

I got my Thai bank to certify several ID copies for me for free.

Obviously - your Thai bank are not Notaries.

Nothing obvious about it. My other Thai banks would have charged for this service; that one didnt.

The point is that it all depends what you want the documents for and what the organism requesting them will accept in the way of certification.

[Darrel]

Since there is no LEGAL basis for notarial services in Thailand, where you go for certification of documents is highly dependent on what the recipient of the document will accept. However, the Thai Council of Lawyers has a program (for lawyers, of course) that gives them special training and allows them to 'notarize' documents. Note that there is no supporting law establishing notarial services in Thailand, but that it is merely a bar association reserving unto themselves the right to 'license' their members to certify documents.

As I mentioned, in Soi Post Office Pattaya there is a Thai person who calls himself a Notary but he is not a lawyer. There is a also a lawyer who is not a Notary. Both charge around 500B to certify copies of documents and the lawyer also witnessed a document for me which the Notary would not do.

I have no idea how legal either of these is, I'm just saying that they exist.

What this means is that, a) only lawyers can perform 'notarial' services in Thailand, and you will be charged accordingly, i.e., what the market will bear.

All charges are negotiable.

[cardholder]

I got my Thai bank to certify several ID copies for me for free.

Obviously - your Thai bank are not Notaries.

Nothing obvious about it. My other Thai banks would have charged for this service; that one didnt.

The point is that it all depends what you want the documents for and what the organism requesting them will accept in the way of certification.

Darrel - do you actually know what a Notary is ? I will give you a clue - you won't find one at your bank.

The point is that the OP is looking for a Notary or Commissioner for 'legalisation' - not sure what organism they are from though.........

[Darrel]

Darrel - do you actually know what a Notary is ? I will give you a clue - you won't find one at your bank.

The point is that the OP is looking for a Notary or Commissioner for 'legalisation' - not sure what organism they are from though.........

Yes, I know perfectly well what a notary is and I'm telling you that one can find people that call themselves both in Pattaya, and that the one is not necessarily the same as the other.

The point is that depending on what sort of certification the OP needs doing his bank may be quite capable of this. Unfortunately we dont know what he needs.

I got several copies of photo ID and address ID certified for free by my Thai bank and this was acceptable to one UK bank, but not to another. For the other bank (which wouldnt accept certification by my Thai bank) I had a copy certified by a lawyer here, and at the same time I also had a signature witnessed on a property transfer document by the same lawyer for an unrelated need. I negotiated the total price for this down to 800B (another nearby lawyer wanted 2500B just for the copy). Subsequently I found another lawyer near where I live who would accept 300B for copy certification.

[keeniau96]

Darrel is totally correct. Absent government ukase a notary is some official/officious person with a chop that is satisfactory to the recipient. In the USA notary service is available at just about every traditional stationary shop, many pahrmacies and every bank. Usual cost is anywhere US#2-5 per chop. The notary is registered in the state and is required to register every action in a bound ledger.

[Sateev]

Darrel is totally correct. Absent government ukase a notary is some official/officious person with a chop that is satisfactory to the recipient. In the USA notary service is available at just about every traditional stationary shop, many pahrmacies and every bank. Usual cost is anywhere US#2-5 per chop. The notary is registered in the state and is required to register every action in a bound ledger.

It was worth reading/responding to this thread, if only for the new (to me) word, 'ukase'...very good!

[Time Traveller]

Thanks everyone for your advice, I will check with the recipient to see what they find acceptable as a Notarized signature, which will probably mean a trip to the Singapore Embassy.

[skills32]

I got my landlord to notarise my licence for the tax dept. I just wrote the required wording and he signed it. I just wrote public notary after his name. He still doesn't know what he signed nor the tax dept know who he is but it splved my problem.