Users have issues with sending Thai language contracts in word Document

Bandyopadhyay Soma 0 Reputation points
2026-09-10T07:21:47+00:00

This is a known limitation; it is related to the docx file not being properly encoded with UTF-8 or the correct Thai character encoding. It could also be related to some fonts used that are not fully compatible with Thai characters.

 

But because PDF files work and docx files are having issues, this is related to conversion or reading and combining Thai characters, since Adobe Sign handles docx and PDF files differently when uploaded. When you upload a .docx file, Adobe Sign does not interpret it the same way it does a PDF, which is why this error can occur. 

 

When you export a Word document to PDF, Word embeds the fonts used in the document directly into the PDF file, which means the Thai characters are preserved exactly as it is, using the original font and Unicode values, so it doesn't get changed or reprocessed later and because of that, when you upload the PDF, there is no distortion in the file.

 

So, because the Thai language is specific and has many unique characters, when using docx files, it can easily be misinterpreted. The best practice is to convert a Word document to PDF file, because this will help avoid internal conversion and mismatching in Thai text and symbols.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows
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  1. Ruby Nguyen 1,565 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-10T08:15:32.14+00:00

    Good day Bandyopadhyay, 

    DOCX files use an XML-based format, and the issue occurs during the document processing stage, where the service handles Word document elements such as fonts, text layout and Thai character combinations. If the required font isn't available during processing, the service may substitute it with a different font, which can affect character rendering and spacing. 

    Here are some options you can consider: 

    Option 1: Convert the contract to PDF before uploading 

    This is the recommended approach for finalized contracts. PDF preserves the original fonts, formatting, spacing, and layout more consistently across different systems, helping ensure the document appears exactly as intended in Adobe Sign. 

    However, I understand your preference to upload the DOCX file directly to Adobe Sign. In that case, you can use Option 2 as a workaround. 

    Option 2: Embed fonts in the Word document 

    Open the document in Word. 

    Select File > Options > Save. 

    Under Preserve fidelity when sharing this document, select Embed fonts in the file. 

    Clear Embed only the characters used in the document if others need to edit the file. 

    Clear Do not embed common system fonts. 

    Select OK and save the document as a new DOCX file. 

    User's image

    Reopen the document and verify that all Thai text displays correctly. 

    Upload the new DOCX file and test again. 

    Additional information is available in the following resource: Benefits of embedding custom fonts | Microsoft Support 

    I hope this information is helpful. If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. 

    If you have any extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".            

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