I received a court summons. What should I do first?

Check the hearing date and the deadline for filing a defence, because missing it can cost you the chance to defend the case. Collect every contract, receipt and message relating to the dispute, then bring them together with the summons to a lawyer well before the hearing date.

Why does the limitation period matter so much?

The limitation period is the window in which a claim can be pursued in court. Each type of claim has a different period and a different starting event. Once it has run out the other side can rely on it as a defence, so we verify the starting date from your documents before advising on strategy.

Which court will hear my case?

That depends on the type of dispute and on jurisdiction. Ordinary contract claims, employment disputes and claims against a state agency each go to a different court, and the parties' domicile and the place of the events also matter. Filing in the wrong court wastes time and may mean starting again.

Do I have to attend every hearing?

No. Many hearings are procedural and the lawyer attends for you. Hearings where you give evidence yourself require you to be present. We tell you in advance who needs to attend each hearing so you can plan work and travel.

Can chat messages and emails be used as evidence?

They can be submitted as documentary evidence, but keep the full conversation rather than selected lines, and preserve the information showing who sent what and when. Material in a foreign language needs a certified Thai translation before it can be used.

If I win, do I receive the money immediately?

Not immediately. Once the judgment is final and the other side still does not pay, the matter moves into enforcement: investigating assets, then seizure or attachment. That stage has its own filings, costs and timeframes, and it depends on the debtor actually having assets.

My counterparty is overseas. Can I still sue in Thailand?

Often yes, but serving documents abroad takes considerably longer than domestic service and usually requires certified translations and legalisation. Because the firm handles translation and certification in-house, those steps can run alongside the case rather than after it.

What costs arise besides legal fees?

Typically court fees, service fees, copying charges, interpreter or translation costs where foreign-language documents are involved, and further costs if the matter reaches enforcement. We list the items that apply to your matter before work starts.

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Civil, criminal, labour and administrative matters through to enforcement

Talk to a lawyer All practice areas

A Thai litigation matter means the firm reviews your evidence, checks the limitation period, drafts and files the complaint or defence, appears at hearings on your behalf, and continues into judgment enforcement if the other side does not pay. We advise before any filing so the approach fits your actual facts and documents. Fees are quoted per matter after we review the file.

Who this page is for

People who received a court summons and do not know what to do first
Creditors whose demand letters have gone unanswered
Companies in dispute with a supplier, customer or contractor
Employers or employees whose dispute has reached the Labour Court
Foreign parties who need an interpreter and certified translations for a Thai case

What the firm actually handles

Case assessment: evidence, limitation period and realistic options
Demand letters, settlement negotiation and mediation
Drafting and filing complaints, defences, counterclaims and interim applications
Court appearances and witness examination on your behalf
Appeals to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court
Asset investigation, seizure, attachment and auction at the enforcement stage

Matters clients bring us

Breach of a sale, construction or service agreement
Recovery of loans, guarantees, mortgages and trade debt
Damages claims arising from accidents or property damage
Cheque, fraud and misappropriation matters connected to a business
Unfair dismissal, severance and wage disputes
Enforcing a final judgment against a debtor who will not pay

Documents to bring to the first meeting

Every contract or document showing the legal relationship
Payment records: transfer slips, receipts, invoices
Chat logs, emails and correspondence between the parties
ID card or company affidavit for your own side
Details of the other party: registered address and any known assets
Any summons, complaint or earlier case file you have received

If some documents are missing, send what you have. The lawyer will tell you which office issues the remaining ones and which documents need certified translation before they can be used.

How the work proceeds

1Send your documents and describe what happened so the team can assess the file
2The lawyer sets out the options, risks and scope of work in writing
3You sign the power of attorney and appointment, and we assemble the evidence
4We negotiate, or file the complaint or defence within the limitation period
5We appear at hearings, examine witnesses and report after every hearing
6We handle appeal or enforcement steps depending on the outcome

Pitfalls and common misunderstandings

A missed limitation period cannot be repaired

Each type of claim has its own limitation period and its own starting point. Once it has expired the other side can raise it as a defence, so bring your documents in early rather than after further negotiation.

Filing in the wrong court costs months

Contract, labour, tax, intellectual property, bankruptcy and administrative matters go to different courts, and jurisdiction also depends on domicile and where the events occurred. We confirm this from your documents before filing.

Winning is not the same as being paid

If the other side does not comply with the judgment, enforcement is a separate stage with its own deadlines, filings and asset investigation. Plan for it from the start when the other side's assets are unclear.

Demand letter, mediation or court proceedings

These three paths are not substitutes for each other. Many matters begin with a demand letter and move on when it produces nothing. The table shows how the workload and the binding effect differ.

Point	Negotiation / demand letter	Mediation	Court proceedings
Binding effect	Binding once a signed settlement record exists	A settlement recorded by the court or agency can be enforced	A final judgment can be enforced
Typical duration	Shortest of the three, depending on the other side's cooperation	Moderate, depending on the mediator's schedule	Longest: several hearings, and possibly appeals
Documents needed	Contract, payment records, contact history	The same, plus identification for everyone attending	A complete evidence bundle plus the witnesses named in the pleadings
Best suited to	A clear debt where the other side still responds	Situations where the commercial relationship should continue	Denied liability, or a limitation period about to expire
Commonly overlooked	Keeping no written record of the demand	Agreeing verbally and never recording it	Filing too late, or in a court without jurisdiction

Every matter turns on its own facts and documents. The team assesses yours before any work begins.

Hand the whole matter to the firm

You can hand the whole matter to the firm: one file, one responsible lawyer, and a report after every hearing. Where the case needs certified translations, an interpreter or notarial certification of foreign documents, those are handled in the same office rather than by separate providers.

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