Landowners can't always attend the Land Office in person — some live upcountry or overseas, some are ill or elderly — so authorising someone else is normal. But powers of attorney are also among the instruments most used in land fraud. A typical case: an owner signs a blank form out of trust, or after being told it is a different document, and someone fills it in to sell or mortgage the land. Knowing how to complete it properly is the best protection.
The Land Department publishes standard power-of-attorney forms: Tor Dor 21 for land with a title deed or certificate of utilisation, and Or Chor 21 for condominium units. The law doesn't strictly require official forms, but using them makes verification easier and reduces rejections. Get them at any Land Office or download from the Land Department website.
When the attorney submits the form, officials check its correctness, compare signatures with records, look for irregularities, and in many cases — especially high-value or questionable transactions — may contact the grantor directly to confirm. Including a phone number where you can really be reached adds another layer of protection.
People overseas can sign the power of attorney before officials at a Thai embassy or consulate, who certify the signature, or before a notary public or competent local authority and then complete the authentication steps the Land Office accepts. Ask the relevant Land Office about the required format beforehand to avoid sending documents back and forth.
| Risky situation | Prevention |
|---|---|
| Asked to sign a stack of papers without reading | Read every page; a Tor Dor 21 must be complete before signing |
| An agent wants to hold the original deed "for convenience" | Keep the deed yourself until transfer day and bring it to the Land Office |
| Authority for a loan drafted too broadly | State the transaction and amount precisely |
| Elderly owners taken to sign documents | Have trusted family review every document |
Contact the Land Office where the property is registered immediately to revoke the authority and request suspension of transactions through the available legal procedures, report to the police, and consult a lawyer. The faster you act, the better the chance of stopping a transfer before damage occurs. Once transferred, reversing it may require a lengthy lawsuit.
The law sets no fixed period, but officials may check further if it was dated long ago. Make a fresh one close to the transaction date with a clear date.
Any adult with legal capacity, but in practice choose the most trustworthy person possible, since they can genuinely carry out the stated transaction.
Notify the attorney in writing, recover the document, and inform the relevant Land Office to prevent further use.
A power of attorney hands authority over your most valuable asset to someone else, so treat it with maximum care: complete before signing, specify property and transaction, strike out blanks, use witnesses and keep the deed yourself. Read more about property scams and transfer documents on the MyProperty blog.
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