PURPOSE: To obtain a thermal recording body having a white background and a good shelf stability and forming a sharp color image by a method wherein a thermal color-forming layer of a coating agent mainly composed of a specific copper p-chlorobenzoate and a thiourea derivative is provided on a substrate.

CONSTITUTION: A thermal color-forming layer in a thermal recording body is made of a coating agent mainly composed of copper p-chlorobenzoate represented by a general formula in a separate paragraph and a thiourea derivative. The copper p-chlorobenzoate is powder having a slightly bluish tint and an endothermic peak at a temperature of 178°C and 285°C. As the thiourea derivative, N, N-diphenyl thiourea or diphenyl-m-phenylene-thiourea is used. In addition, a water soluble binder, such as starches or hydroxyethyl cellulose, is used. An overcoat layer mainly composed of a water-soluble or water- dispersible polymer is provided on the thermal color-forming layer, as required.