Deals · counterparty check
Check your Thai partner before you pay
We collect official records on the company, compare them with what you're promised and give you a risk-rated report.
- DBD affidavit, shareholders, directors and signing authority
- Financials, bankruptcy, mortgages, VAT and licences
- A visit to the office, warehouse or factory — with photos and video
- Report with a green, amber or red risk level
20+ years in ThailandEnglish · Русский · ไทย
A Sabai Legal lawyer will reply — in English, Russian or Thai
What usually surfaces after payment
- 01
The company is just an address.
Since 1 January 2026 the DBD system flags as a “duplicate address” any address used as the registered office by more than five companies. An affidavit and a website do not prove the partner has an office, warehouse or factory.
Source: DBD Order No. 4/2568 (Forvis Mazars, 11 February 2026)
- 02
The wrong person signed.
Who signs for the company, and how — for example, only two directors jointly — is on the register. Once published, these details are deemed known to everyone. That is why the signer is checked before the deal.
- 03
Nominee shareholders.
If Thai nationals hold shares for a foreigner, both the nominee and the foreigner who allows it face up to 3 years in prison, a fine of 100,000 to 1,000,000 THB, or both. The court also orders the shareholding to stop. For fiscal year 2026 the DBD announced in-depth inspections of companies with foreign shareholders in 12 provinces, including Bangkok, Phuket and Chonburi.
- 04
Debts and bankruptcy.
The online services of the Legal Execution Department (LED) let you check for a bankruptcy case and search for assets advertised for auction. Check this before the prepayment, not after.
Source: Legal Execution Department (LED)
What we check and where
Based on Thai government registers and laws. Checked on 17 October 2026.
Requirements change. We check them against official sources before every application.
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Registrar documents are open
Anyone may inspect the documents held by the registrar and obtain certified copies for a government fee. A DBD company affidavit (หนังสือรับรอง) costs 200 THB, and a certified copy of registration documents, financial statements or the shareholder list costs 50 THB per page.
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Directors and signing authority
The register lists the directors, the extent of their powers, whose signature binds the company, and the head office and branch addresses. We match this against the person who will sign the contract.
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How much capital is actually paid up
Registered capital is not money in the bank. By law, the first payment on each share must be at least 25% of its face value, and shareholders are liable only up to the unpaid amount on their shares. We check what has been paid and compare it with the financial statements.
Source: Civil and Commercial Code, s. 1096 and 1105 (ThaiLawOnline)
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Foreign ownership and licences
If foreigners hold half of the capital or more, the company is foreign by law. List 1 businesses are closed to it. List 2 and List 3 businesses need permission — a Foreign Business Licence (FBL) — or an exemption certificate, for example for a BOI-promoted company. We check the document and compare it with what the company actually does.
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Financial statements filed on time
Audited financial statements are approved at the shareholders' meeting within 4 months of the year end and filed with the DBD within a month of approval. The shareholder list (บอจ.5) is due within 14 days of the meeting. Gaps or years of losses are a reason to ask questions.
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Bankruptcy and auctions
Through the Legal Execution Department (LED) online services we search bankruptcy cases, case status, official receiver announcements and assets listed for auction.
Source: Legal Execution Department (LED)
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Mortgages on property
By law, a mortgage contract is made in writing and registered with the competent official. So we check mortgages on land and buildings against the registered property documents, not the seller's word.
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VAT and tax invoices
A company with turnover above 1.8 million THB a year must register for VAT, before it starts trading or within 30 days of reaching the threshold. A VAT-registered business must issue a tax invoice for every transaction. We ask for the PP.20 (ภ.พ.20) certificate and check the details.
Source: Thai Revenue Department
Which check you need
- 01
Express register check
Before a prepayment, a first shipment or a lease.
Choose - 02
Extended check with a site visit
Before a large deal or a joint business: registers, the other side's documents and a visit to the address.
Choose - 03
Due diligence for buying a company or shares
Shareholders, contracts, taxes, staff and licences — before you sign.
Choose - 04
Buying property?
Land, a villa or a condo — we check the property separately.
Learn more
What we need for the check
From you, to get started
- Company name in Thai or English, or its registration number
- Name and position of the person you are negotiating with
- What the deal is: what you buy or sell, the amount, the timing
- Address of the office, warehouse or factory, if a visit is needed
- Correspondence, a quotation or a draft contract — if you have them
What we request from the DBD or the other side
- A recent company affidavit (หนังสือรับรอง)
- Shareholder list (บอจ.5)
- Memorandum of association (หนังสือบริคณห์สนธิ) and articles, if any
- Audited financial statements for recent years
- VAT registration certificate (PP.20), if the company is VAT-registered
- Foreign Business Licence or an exemption certificate (for example, under the BOI), if the company is foreign by law
- Sector licences for the line of business: tourism, food, import, manufacturing
- Passport or ID card of the signer, and a power of attorney if the signer is not a director
When buying a company or shares
- Share register and meeting minutes
- Current contracts: leases, supply, loans, guarantees
- Tax returns PND.50 and PND.51, plus PP.30 for VAT-registered companies
- Social security registration and staff list
- Work permits for foreigners issued through the company
- Land and building documents, if the company owns any
- The seller's written statement on disputes, claims and debts
We obtain the affidavit, shareholder list and financial statements from the DBD ourselves — no need to approach the other side for them. The rest we request through you. If a partner will not share even basic documents, that is already a warning sign.
Send documents for a check
Due diligence prices
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Express check
- Our fee
- 9,000 THB
- Government fee (paid separately)
- 200 THB per DBD affidavit, 50 THB per page of certified copies
- Total
- ฿9,200
- Affidavit, shareholder list and financial statements from the DBD
- Directors and signing authority — matched against the signer
- Bankruptcy cases and auctions (LED)
- VAT status, Foreign Business Licence or BOI certificate
- Short report with a risk level
Timeline: 2–3 business days
Choose this package - Most popular
Extended check
- Our fee
- 25,000 THB
- Government fee (paid separately)
- 200 THB per DBD affidavit, 50 THB per page of certified copies
- Total
- ฿25,200
- Everything in the express check
- Review of financial statements for recent years
- Request and review of the other side's documents
- Check of sector licences and mortgages
- Site visit: photos and video
- Report with conclusions and terms for the contract
Timeline: 7–14 business days
Choose this package -
Buying a company or shares
- Our fee
- from 60,000 THBexact price once we see the document list
- Constitutional documents, share register, minutes
- Contracts: leases, supply, loans, guarantees
- Taxes: PND.50, PND.51, PP.30
- Staff, social security, work permits
- The company's land and buildings
- Report and a list of seller warranties for the contract
Timeline: 3–6 weeks
Choose this package
Included in every plan
- Report in English or Russian
- A source for every fact
- NDA on request
DBD fees and bank charges for documents are shown as a separate line, at cost. Trips to other cities by arrangement.
Pay in stages
30% at the start, 70% after the result. Longer projects are paid by contract stages.
Guarantee
If an application is refused because of our mistake, we refund our fee in full. We guarantee the process, not the authority's decision.
Trust you can verify
- 20+ years in Thailand
- 200 THB government fee for a DBD affidavit
- 3 years max prison term for nominee holding
We work with
- Immigration Bureau
- Department of Business Development (DBD)
- Revenue Department
- Ministry of Labour
- Banks
How we work
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Step 1
Request
The company name and what the deal is about. We reply within 15 minutes.
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Step 2
Scope and price
We agree what to check and give you a fixed price. NDA on request.
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Step 3
Register checks
DBD, LED, VAT, licences.
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Step 4
Documents and site visit
We request documents from the other side and visit the address if needed.
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Step 5
Report with a risk level
What we found, what it means for the deal and what to put into the contract.
How we differ from a typical agent
| Criterion | Sabai Legal | Typical agent |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Fixed, published on the site | "Message us and we'll quote" |
| Government fees | Shown as a separate line | Hidden in the total |
| Payment | In stages | 100% upfront |
| Company structure | Legal, no nominees | Nominee shareholders |
| Response | 15 minutes, 7 days a week | "On business days" |
| Case status | In a Telegram bot | Only by phone |
| Language with authorities | Thai, in person | Through an interpreter |
Frequently asked questions
Will the partner know about the check?
Not necessarily. By law, anyone may inspect a company's documents held by the registrar and get certified copies for a government fee. The affidavit and copies are ordered through the DBD website or a bank — the company itself takes no part. If we need internal documents or a site visit, we agree with you in advance how to ask for them. We sign an NDA on request.
What can anyone see about a company?
The official DBD DataWarehouse+ database publishes company data and financial statements, as well as data on foreign investment in Thai companies. Directors and signing authority are on the DBD register, and shareholder names are on the บอจ.5 list. The DBD issues certified copies of these documents.
How is this different from a company audit?
An audit checks your own company: its structure, any nominees, its filings. Due diligence checks the other side: a supplier, buyer, landlord or a company you are buying into.
The partner sent a DBD affidavit. How do I know it is genuine?
An electronic DBD affidavit has a QR code in the bottom right corner, micro text, a watermark and a reference number you can check on the DBD website. We verify the affidavit and compare it with current register data.
How much do DBD documents cost?
The government fee is 200 THB for a company affidavit and 50 THB per page for certified copies of registration documents, financial statements or the shareholder list. If you get them through a bank, it adds its own charge: 150 THB per affidavit, and for copies 100 THB for the first 1–5 pages plus 20 THB for each page after that. These are shown as a separate line, at cost.
The company is on the register but seems inactive. Why does it matter?
If the registrar has reasonable grounds to believe a company is not doing business, it sends registered letters, publishes a notice in a local newspaper and strikes the company off 90 days after the second letter. The company, a shareholder or a creditor harmed by this can ask a court to restore it, but no later than 10 years after strike-off. A contract with such a company is an extra risk, so we look at its filings and check the address.
What does a red risk level mean?
It means facts that make us advise against paying without extra safeguards. For example: the signer has no authority, there is a bankruptcy case, financial statements have not been filed for years, or there are signs of a nominee structure. The decision is always yours.
There are risks, but we need the deal. What now?
Reduce the risk through the deal terms: payment after delivery or in stages, payment control through a bank letter of credit or contractual escrow, and representations and warranties from the other side in the contract. We can help negotiate this — see our deal escort service.
Can you check an individual?
Only by lawful means: public registers and documents the person provides. For example, a director's authority is on the DBD register, and bankruptcy cases are in the LED services. We do not collect data from closed databases.
What does the report look like, and how long does it take?
A written report in English or Russian: what we checked, what we found, references to documents, a risk level and questions for the deal. An express check takes 2–3 business days, an extended one 7–14 business days.
Often needed together
We check your partner before you pay
Send the company name and what the deal is about — a specialist will reply within 15 minutes and tell you what to check first.
Every day, 9:00–21:00 (Bangkok time)
A Sabai Legal lawyer will reply — in English, Russian or Thai