Lease in English or Thai?

[Dynalmadman]

Just a quick question. Common sense tells me I can better understand the lease if in English, but will I have an easier time with the 90 day address proof if the lease is in Thai? And if the online reporting system starts to work reliabably, do you have to enter your address in English or Thai?

Thank you

Michael

[ubonjoe]

Leases are normally done in Thai. You could get a translation of it done if you want to confirm the terms of it.

The online reporting is reliable unless your local office doses not accept them. Everything is done in English.

[Dynalmadman]

Thank you UbonJoe. Our potential landlord is fluent in both languages and gave us a choice. Just wondered if a Thai version would be better received at immigration?

Michael

[KhunBENQ]

Online report accepts address in English, same as on the paper form.

[nowretired]

The lease we have comes in two parts .............Thai and English.

[ubonjoe]

Thank you UbonJoe. Our potential landlord is fluent in both languages and gave us a choice. Just wondered if a Thai version would be better received at immigration?

Michael

It would be best to have it in Thai at immigration.

[PattayaPhom]

Thank you UbonJoe. Our potential landlord is fluent in both languages and gave us a choice. Just wondered if a Thai version would be better received at immigration?

Michael

Take both if he dosnt charge anything, cant be a bad thing

[allane]

When this requirement was introduced in approx. 2010, there was a story in the Pattaya Mail stating that copies of the lease had to be in Thai. While I lived in Pattaya (which I do no longer) I complied, and had no problems.

[Sviss Geez]

If you're talking about 90 day reporting, you don't need to show a lease.

[kbelyeu]

Translations are cheap at 2000 baht from the law firms around so maybe to CYA get an independent translation.

Kurt

[casualbiker]

The lease I have is the standard Land office lease, it's in Thai and English. The extras section is in handwritten in Thai but agreed to by my wife. It was actually in our favour ie that we could fit an 18btu aircon downstairs and when we move the Landlady either allows us to take it or pays equivalent of one months rent ( that's only 5k but the aircon only cost 19k anyway) and we've been here nearly 3 years...

[Suradit69]

Common sense tells me I can better understand the lease if in English,

Thai is the only official language in Thailand and, while contracts can be translated into other languages for the convenience of those involved, only ThaI language documents are legally binding. Not an issue for 90 day reports, but if you ever have a problem with your landlord,the terms of a lease or domestic contract written solely in English would probably not be acceptable in court.

Anyway these days at Jomtien, for example, after your initial 90 day report, all you need is your passport with the barcoded previous report ... and even before when proof of address was needed. they were quite happy with a copy of a recent monthly bill from 3BB or for utilities.

[soisanuk]

I have always used my lease which has always been in English at Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration for both my annual retirement extension and for residence certificate. Never had a problem using it (I have leased 4 different houses since moving here in 2002 - lease has always been in English -- I don't think I would want to sign a Thai language lease as I couldn't read it; thus the terms might be different than the English version).

[Sophon]

Common sense tells me I can better understand the lease if in English,

Thai is the only official language in Thailand and, while contracts can be translated into other languages for the convenience of those involved, only ThaI language documents are legally binding. Not an issue for 90 day reports, but if you ever have a problem with your landlord,the terms of a lease or domestic contract written solely in English would probably not be acceptable in court.

Anyway these days at Jomtien, for example, after your initial 90 day report, all you need is your passport with the barcoded previous report ... and even before when proof of address was needed. they were quite happy with a copy of a recent monthly bill from 3BB or for utilities.

Not entirely true. Contracts in English are legally binding, but if both a Thai and an English version exists the Thai version will take precedence.

Here is an earlier topic on ThaiVisa where Sunbelt Asia has clarified the legal situation.

Sophon