ฉบับภาษาไทย: อ่านหน้านี้เป็นภาษาไทย
Do I need an interpreter when questioned at a Thai police station?
Short answer
Yes, if you do not understand Thai well enough to follow the questions. Investigations are conducted and recorded in Thai, and the Criminal Procedure Code requires an interpreter where the person being questioned does not understand the language used. What you sign at the station is the Thai record, not your spoken English.
The practical risk is the statement itself. An investigating officer summarises answers into a written record, and once signed that record is what a prosecutor and a court work from later. If the summary compresses a denial into an admission of presence, or turns 'I do not remember' into a date, correcting it afterwards is far harder than getting it right on the day. An interpreter reads the finished record back line by line before anyone signs.
Two things help before you arrive: tell the station in advance that an interpreter will attend, and bring identity documents for both you and the interpreter, since the interpreter's name and ID are recorded alongside the statement. If the matter is serious, arrange a lawyer as well — an interpreter renders language, and is not permitted to advise on what to answer. Scope, turnaround and fees are confirmed by IVC staff by phone, LINE or email — this site does not publish prices.
Reviewed as of 2026-08-04. General guidance only, not case-specific advice and not a guarantee of outcome. Government fees, conditions and processing times are set by the responsible authority and can change. This site does not publish prices — please ask our staff.
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