My accountant only speaks Thai. What are my options?
You have three: keep the Thai firm and add an English layer on top, move to a firm that works in both languages, or keep the Thai firm for the statutory work and hire someone else to translate and report. Whichever you pick, the books themselves stay in Thai by law, so what you are really choosing is who explains them to you and in what language.
Last reviewed 2 November 2026
Most owners in this position are not unhappy with the filings. They are unhappy that they cannot read what they are signing, cannot ask a question by email, and find out about a problem when the Revenue Department letter arrives. That is a reporting problem, and it is cheaper to fix than a bookkeeping problem.
What has to be in Thai whichever firm you choose
Tax invoices are the same by default. Revenue Code section 86/4 requires the particulars in a tax invoice to be in Thai language and Thai currency unless the Director-General approves otherwise, and Director-General VAT Notification No. 92 treats an invoice made in English and in Thai baht as already approved. Withholding tax certificates (50 Tawi) may be in Thai or English under Director-General Income Tax Notification No. 100; any other language needs a Thai translation alongside.
In practice that means the English you need can sit next to the Thai record without breaking anything: English invoices in baht, English or bilingual withholding certificates, and an English management report built from the Thai ledger. What cannot happen is the Thai record disappearing.
The three options
| Option | What changes | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Keep the Thai firm, add an English layer | Ask for a monthly English summary, English or bilingual invoices from your own billing, and one named person you can email. Ask whether the firm offers this, and at what price. | The add-on is often a translation of the Thai report, not an explanation of it. Ask to see a sample. |
| Move to a bilingual firm | One firm keeps the Thai books and talks to you in English. Usually the cleanest fix. | You pay for the English. Published fees from firms selling in English run well above Thai-language firms for the same filings; the cost page shows both markets side by side. |
| Split the roles | The Thai firm keeps doing the statutory work; a separate controller or fractional CFO reads the books and reports to you in English. | Two firms means two invoices and a gap between them. Write down who answers the Revenue Department. |
What to put in writing before you decide
- Which reports arrive in English, monthly or quarterly, and by which day of the month.
- Who your named English-speaking contact is, and whether that person also does the work or only relays it.
- Whether the financial statements and the audit report come with an English version, and whether that costs extra.
- How a letter from the Revenue Department or the DBD reaches you: forwarded in Thai, summarised in English, or answered on your behalf.
- What the English adds to the monthly fee, as a separate line, so you can compare it.
If you use Xero or QuickBooks for your own English view, that can work alongside a Thai firm, but it does not replace the Thai record; what software does and does not replace. If you would rather see what three firms would charge with English reporting written into the scope, that is what the request form is for.
Related questions
- How do I change accountant in Thailand without losing my books?
- Do I still need a Thai accountant if I use Xero or QuickBooks?
- What is actually included in a Thai bookkeeping fee, and what almost never is?
Sources
- Accounting Act B.E. 2543, sections 21 and 35, official DBD English translation (PDF)
- Accounting Act B.E. 2543 (Thai, full text)
- Revenue Code sections 86 to 86/4, tax invoices (Revenue Department, English)
- Director-General VAT Notification No. 92: English tax invoices in Thai baht deemed approved (Thai)
- Director-General Income Tax Notification No. 100: language of withholding tax certificates (Thai)
This is general information about how a filing works, not accounting or tax advice for your company. Confirm anything that matters against the official notice or with your accountant. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.