Question 1

Renting more than five student rooms — what contract form keeps you compliant?

Accepted Answer

Letting five residential units or more brings the business inside the contract-controlled category. The landlord must use a contract containing the prescribed essential terms: a deposit capped at one month, water and electricity charged at the rate the utility actually bills, no forfeiture of the deposit without cause, and return of the deposit within the set period at the end of the term. A clause conflicting with the notification is void only as to that clause; the rest survives. Many landlords around Kantharawichai still use old forms charging a flat electricity unit rate above cost, which is the single most common complaint. We rewrite the contract form for the whole building and set out the correct utility calculation.

Question 2

Is a dormitory taxed at the residential or the commercial land and building rate?

Accepted Answer

Classification follows actual use on 1 January of that year. A dormitory let monthly for residential occupation generally sits in the residential band, whose rate is materially lower. If part of the building operates as a shop, a laundry, or nightly tourist accommodation, that portion is assessed at the commercial rate by floor-area proportion. Owners over-assessed are usually those whose municipality saw a shop sign at the frontage and classed the whole building as commercial. An objection can be filed within the statutory period with a use-allocation plan attached. We prepare the area breakdown and lodge the objection.

Question 3

A student leaves mid-term without notice and abandons belongings — what can the landlord do?

Accepted Answer

The landlord may not change the lock or clear the room immediately — that risks criminal exposure for damage to property or trespass, even where rent is outstanding. The correct sequence is a written demand to the contract address and to the guarantor giving a deadline; on expiry, terminate the lease and make a witnessed inventory with photographs before moving the goods into safe storage. Arrears and damages are then pursued civilly. Where a guarantor exists — typically a parent — a demand on the guarantor usually resolves faster than litigation. We draft the notices and run the arrears claim on an agreed fixed fee.

Question 4

Foreign lecturers on annual contracts — how are visa and work permit renewals kept unbroken?

Accepted Answer

Everything turns on expiry sequencing. The work permit is tied to the employment contract and normally lapses with it, while permission to stay in the Kingdom is a separate document from a separate authority. If the new contract is unsigned before expiry, the work permit renewal cannot be filed — and once the permit lapses, the extension of stay falls with it. What works in practice is for the institution to issue a written confirmation of renewal at least thirty days ahead, file the work permit renewal first, then the extension of stay. The standard papers are the contract, an institutional letter, the teaching licence or waiver, and the prior year's tax filing. We build the calendar and file each cycle for you.

Question 5

Can a foreign student bring a spouse, and may the spouse work?

Accepted Answer

A spouse and children of a student visa holder may apply for dependant visas, showing a translated and certified marriage certificate or birth certificates, adequate financial evidence, and a letter from the student's institution. A dependant visa by itself confers no permission to work. If the spouse wants to work, a Thai employer must apply for a work permit and the visa category must be changed to match. Private tutoring or online work for overseas clients while on a dependant visa is detectable and penalised. We assess eligibility and handle the category change end to end.

Question 6

Living outside the town in Maha Sarakham — where is the 90-day report made?

Accepted Answer

The ninety-day report can be made three ways: at the provincial immigration office in person, by recorded delivery arriving at least seven days before the due date, or through the online system within the window it allows. Anyone who has left the country and re-entered starts a fresh count from the entry date rather than continuing the previous cycle — the single most common misunderstanding, and the usual reason for a fine. If an online submission is not confirmed within the window, go in person immediately rather than waiting. We track the cycle and file on behalf of clients on an annual care agreement.

Question 7

Transcripts and degrees for overseas study applications — how are they certified?

Accepted Answer

Start by requesting the English-language version issued directly by the university registrar rather than translating the Thai version yourself, because the receiving university treats the institution-issued copy as the original. Take it to the Department of Consular Affairs for authentication of the signatory, and where the destination is a party to the public documents convention a different chain applies. If the institution issues in Thai only, it must be translated by a translator willing to attest to the rendering, then legalised in sequence. The frequent mistake is a photocopy bearing only a 'certified true copy' stamp from the university, which is not enough for a foreign authority. We obtain the English version, translate, and complete every layer of certification.

Question 8

Research MOUs with foreign universities — must they be bilingual?

Accepted Answer

There is no rule requiring a bilingual instrument, but in practice one should be used: if a dispute reaches a Thai court, a foreign-language document must be accompanied by a certified translation anyway. Drafting bilingually from the outset and stating which language prevails on conflict removes most interpretation risk. The clauses worth writing carefully are ownership of jointly created research output and patents, disclosure of participants' personal data under the data protection legislation, and the governing law. We draft the bilingual version and check that both sides' legal requirements line up.

Question 9

Changed surname after graduating and the old and new papers disagree — what now?

Accepted Answer

There is no need to ask the university to reissue the degree. What foreign authorities accept is the registrar-issued name or surname change certificate, with a certified translation, linking the two identities. Where the change followed marriage, the marriage certificate serves the same purpose. What needs care is the Roman-letter spelling matching the passport exactly across every document; if even one character differs it should be corrected before submission, because immigration authorities and receiving institutions match names strictly. We check name consistency across the whole set and assemble the linking bundle.

Question 10

Opening a cafe by the campus — which permits are needed before opening?

Accepted Answer

The base set is the food establishment permit or notification acknowledgement from the municipality or sub-district administration, graded by floor area. Food handlers must complete the prescribed training course, and any shopfront sign attracts signboard tax by size and lettering. Selling alcohol requires a separate licence subject to a minimum distance from educational institutions — the reason campus-adjacent shops are so often refused. Check the distance before signing the lease, not after the fit-out is finished. We verify the location conditions and file every permit for you.

Question 11

Selling online and shipping from Maha Sarakham — is commercial registration required?

Accepted Answer

Anyone trading goods through electronic channels must register the commercial business with the local office within thirty days of starting, whether as an individual or a company, and once registered may display the registration mark on the storefront, which helps buyer confidence. What follows is VAT registration once turnover reaches the threshold — and since many marketplaces already report seller revenue to the Revenue Department, non-filing is detected more easily than sellers expect. We handle the commercial registration, set up the books, and run the monthly tax filings.

Question 12

Print shops copying textbooks for students — what is the legal exposure?

Accepted Answer

Reproducing an entire copyright work for commercial purposes does not fall within the educational exception, which is aimed at use by the learner in a reasonable quantity that does not conflict with normal exploitation by the rights holder. A shop routinely copying whole books therefore carries both civil and criminal exposure, and in practice publishers' authorised agents conduct inspections at the start of term. The safer approach is to print only work the customer owns or is licensed to use, keep records of print orders, and post the acceptance conditions clearly. We review the shop's practice and draft an order-acceptance form that reduces the risk.

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