The Thai courts are looking for a person with an excellent command of both Norwegian and Thai to assist as a court interpreter in cases involving Norwegian nationals.
While English interpretation is normally available, some Norwegians appearing before a Thai court are not sufficiently confident in English to answer questions from the judge or public prosecutor accurately. In such cases, they may request interpretation directly between Norwegian and Thai, allowing them to express themselves more clearly and precisely.
The interpreter could be either a Norwegian with excellent Thai language skills or a Thai with an excellent command of Norwegian. What matters is the ability to translate accurately and confidently in both directions.
On a few occasions, ScandAsia Editor-in-Chief Gregers Moller has, together with a Norwegian friend, assisted with interpretation in court. However, this has only been an ad hoc solution and is not a practical long-term arrangement.
The court is currently seeking an interpreter for a case scheduled to be heard in Bangkok on 11 August 2026
The remuneration for the assignment is modest, and anyone accepting the role should regard it primarily as a service to the Norwegian community and the justice system rather than a commercial opportunity.
It is important to understand the role of a court interpreter. An interpreter must remain completely impartial and faithfully translate every question and answer as accurately as possible. The task is not to assist or advise the Norwegian party, nor to improve or soften their answers, but simply to ensure that communication between the court and the individual is precise and complete.
Anyone with a high level of proficiency in both Norwegian and Thai who may be interested in assisting is welcome to contact ScandAsia, – [email protected] – which can put them in touch with the relevant court officials.
