Land power of attorney (Tor.Dor.21) executed abroad
How a person abroad appoints someone to register a sale, transfer, mortgage or lease at a Thai Land Office on their behalf — signing before a Royal Thai Embassy officer, or using a foreign Notary Public and the legalisation chain that follows.
The Department of Lands prescribes its own power of attorney forms: Tor.Dor.21 for land and Or.Chor.21 for condominium units. Land Offices work from the departmental form, and a self-drafted general power of attorney is often refused, so obtain the correct form and complete it fully before sending it abroad for signature.
The authority granted must be specific: the act to be performed, the title deed number, parcel and survey page numbers, sub-district, district and province, and the attorney's full name. Broad wording authorising 'anything necessary' invites objection, and blank spaces invite later insertion — strike through unused space and initial it.
The most direct route is to sign before an officer at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in the country of residence, who certifies the grantor's signature. A document certified this way is accepted directly at the Land Office. Booking requirements and the identity documents to bring vary between missions.
The second route is to sign before a local Notary Public, then pass the document through the origin country's certification chain — the authority that certifies notarial signatures — and then the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate, before the original is sent to Thailand. This route is used when travelling to the Thai mission is impractical, but it involves more steps and more time.
The original must be posted or couriered to Thailand; a Land Office will not register on a copy or a scan. A power of attorney in a foreign language needs a certified Thai translation. Build international shipping time into the transfer schedule.
Documents to prepare
- Department of Lands form Tor.Dor.21 for land or Or.Chor.21 for a condominium unit
- Certified copy of the grantor's passport signed by the grantor
- Copy of the attorney's Thai ID card
- Copy of the title deed or unit title for the property concerned
- Certified Thai translation where the document is in a foreign language
Order of steps
- Obtain form Tor.Dor.21 or Or.Chor.21 and complete it fully before sending it abroad
- Choose the route: sign at the Thai mission, or before a Notary Public and follow the chain
- Have the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate certify as the final step before dispatch
- Send the original to Thailand and arrange a certified Thai translation if required
- The attorney files the original at the Land Office for the district concerned
Pre-filing checklist
- The correct departmental form is used for the property type
- The authority and title details are specific, not general
- Unused blanks are struck through and initialled
- The Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate has certified the document
- The original — not a scan — is sent to Thailand, with shipping time allowed
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell Thai land from abroad without flying back?
Yes, by granting a power of attorney on Department of Lands form Tor.Dor.21, signed before an officer at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate, or before a Notary Public and then certified up the chain to the Thai mission, with the original sent to Thailand.
Can I use my own drafted power of attorney?
Land Offices work from the departmental forms and self-drafted versions are often refused. Use Tor.Dor.21 for land or Or.Chor.21 for a condominium unit.
Can I just email a scan to my attorney?
No. Registration of rights and juristic acts requires the original document, so it must physically reach Thailand. Allow for international shipping time in the transfer schedule.
Does an English power of attorney need translating?
Yes — a certified Thai translation must accompany it so the competent official can review the full scope of the authority granted.
Will the Apostille Convention make this easier?
The Convention enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027 according to HCCH. Until then the existing chain applies, and afterwards Land Office practice will follow whatever the Thai authorities publish, so check the current position before you start.
For a document review before you file at the Land Office, contact us on LINE @nycli, phone +66-83-249-4999 or email nycli@ilc.ltd. Our team will confirm the steps, anything still missing and a realistic timeline.